At this very moment, an unusual aura surfaced across the entire city. As time passed, wisps of resplendent, shimmering light continuously welled up in the heart of the city, illuminating the firmament. A place that had been silent and filled with an eerie, sinister aura now began to harbor a vast, upright righteousness.
Meanwhile, in the distance, the Heavenly Palace, which had previously been glowing with light, was now enveloped by boundless black lightning.
All of this had transpired within mere minutes.
"The original Netherworld turned into the Heavenly Palace?" Jiang Ningxian was rather shocked, finding it inconceivable. Even she had never witnessed such a spectacle before; it truly felt like something out of myth.
Everything that had just occurred would have been impossible to detect if Lu Yuan had not possessed the Martial Dao Heavenly Eye. Originally, he had planned to explore that half of the Netherworld first before heading to the Heavenly Palace. Now, however, it seemed temporarily impossible to do so.
The inversion of yin and yang. Who knew when this region might turn back into the Netherworld again? And to prevent such an inversion from catching them off guard...
"Let's go. We'll head to the central area to see what's there, and whether it really is the legendary Lingxiao Palace," Lu Yuan said with a smile. Take things as they come. No matter what happened, he had to maintain a clear goal first.
Coming from a prominent clan, Jiang Ningxian quickly calmed down after her brief astonishment. Furthermore, she had immense interest in this place.
"Alright, then I'll risk my life to accompany the gentleman," she said, not forgetting the purpose of their journey. This place undoubtedly held supreme legacies and fortunes.
Lu Yuan nodded, knowing what had to be done.
Having made their decision, they did not hesitate in the slightest and headed straight toward the very center.
Along the way, they also encountered some Awakened from Earth as well as extraterrestrial beings. Those people had also run into danger, but unlike in the Netherworld earlier, the army here consisted not of nether soldiers, but of heavenly soldiers.
Each of these heavenly soldiers wore golden and silver armor, appearing extraordinary and exuding righteousness from head to toe. Yet whether they were truly the so-called heavenly soldiers and generals of myth and legend remained to be seen.
Regardless, even after being slain, they could continually revive, returning stronger each time. In other words, heavenly soldiers and nether soldiers were virtually the same. Still, considering what Jiang Ningxian had said earlier about several spaces being kneaded together, this was quite normal.
Lu Yuan also noticed that among these heavenly soldiers lay a peculiar, unyielding will, very similar to before, as though they stood ready to march into battle at any moment. Although the two of them were not afraid, fighting on would merely be a waste of time. Both possessed their own means, so evading detection by these heavenly soldiers was not difficult.
Having spent time together, the two had not only grown to understand one another, but had also developed a tacit chemistry.
Before long, they arrived before the central grand palace.
In front of the hall lay a colossal plaza. Upon the plaza stood rows upon rows of heavenly soldiers clad in gold and silver armor. Their numbers were immense, stretching beyond the horizon.
"Could those be... the legendary one hundred thousand heavenly soldiers and generals?"
Jiang Ningxian blurted out, stunned once again. She had rarely seen such a scene, her eyes shining brightly.
Even Lu Yuan felt a twinge of curiosity. This was truly a scene from mythology.
At that moment, Lu Yuan spoke, knowing that if they were detected, a fierce battle would inevitably ensue: "Conceal your aura. Don't let them spot us."
Quickly, they bypassed the plaza and arrived beneath the grand palace.
This palace hall was colossal, standing fully ten thousand meters tall! It was difficult to imagine how vast this space was to accommodate such an immense edifice. What manner of existence could have constructed such a city and laid down such divine methods?
There was no gate here, allowing one to see directly inside. The two stepped straight within.
The grand hall was empty and exceedingly spacious. One could not see its ends at all. Standing within, a person felt minuscule to the extreme, like a mere ant. Every area radiated pure, flawless white light, and wisps of mist swirled continuously, making it truly look like an immortal realm.
However, the aura inside was extraordinarily unique. Even the surrounding atmosphere had completely transformed.
After entering this Lingxiao Palace, Lu Yuan did indeed experience a strange sensation. He discovered that within his mind, beneath the Ancient Bodhi Tree, the Ancient Heavenly Emperor Token—which had remained dormant all this time—suddenly emanated streaks of purple twilight, as if drawn by some force. It felt as if it had been attracted to its own kind.
Seeing this, Lu Yuan's gaze shifted slightly.
The Ancient Heavenly Emperor Token!
Up until now, it was the only taboo object whose specific function he did not know, yet was incomparably powerful. This object held immense significance. Even the Jiang clan valued it greatly. In his previous life, the reason the various extraterrestrial races had chosen Mount Tai as their first landing site and waged an earth-shattering battle there was precisely for the Ancient Heavenly Emperor Token.
Lu Yuan had long since deduced that to unlock the true marvels of the Ancient Heavenly Emperor Token, one had to find at least three of them. And now, the third one seemed to be right before his eyes!
A third Ancient Heavenly Emperor Token existed in this place. And perhaps, it rested upon that dragon throne.
Deep within the palace hall, they could faintly discern a dragon throne. At the same time, someone seemed to be seated upon it.
Their expressions turned solemn. Yet even with their strength, neither could clearly make out what that silhouette looked like.
"Could that... be the Heavenly Emperor?" Jiang Ningxian spoke up. She might not care about other things, but this place concerned the ancient Heavenly Court. There was no helping it; this place represented the ancient Heavenly Court, and the only one who could sit upon that supreme throne was essentially the Heavenly Emperor.
However, her words received no response. Turning her head, she saw Lu Yuan standing beside her, his gaze slightly vacant as if lost in thought. She couldn't help asking, "King Lu, what's wrong?"
Seeing this, Jiang Ningxian did not press further, though she knew something must be on his mind. Being a person of great discretion, she did not pry and simply nodded.
"It's nothing. Let's go see what's going on," Lu Yuan said, shaking his head as he looked toward the dragon throne. This grand hall was the core of this half of the Heavenly Palace; there would surely be discoveries here.
"Lingxiao Palace... Could this truly be where the Heavenly Court was located?"
"Yet if this is Lingxiao Palace, then what was the ruin of the Jade Emperor Hall on Mount Tai?"
He had seen Lingxiao Palace on Mount Tai before, but that had been a ruin. The one before them was completely different—it was intact.
Lu Yuan said nothing more, walking forward without hesitation toward the throne.
Chapter 179