Outside Mount Tai Trial Academy, Elder Ji and the others were waiting in an open clearing.
According to the information they had received earlier, he was expected to arrive today.
Anxiety showed on every face, and people looked up at the sky from time to time.
It was not that they lacked composure; far too much had happened recently. The situation had completely exceeded what the authorities could handle, leaving even the top leadership at a loss.
Now, the only thing they could do was wait for King Lu to return and devise countermeasures together. Otherwise, any sudden shift in the situation would be catastrophic.
Members of the younger generation—Zhu Qingyu, Ice Fairy, Young Heavenly Master Chunyang, and the rest—were equally aware of the gravity of the situation.
Over the past few months, they had all been cultivating and evolving diligently, making considerable progress. Their sole aim was to build enough strength to face the coming upheaval without being rendered utterly helpless—just as Lu Yuan had instructed before departing.
Yet once they learned of what was happening beyond Earth, deep anxiety took root within them as well. Lu Yuan had essentially become everyone's pillar of support. It was not that they lacked judgment or were unwilling to face the crisis; the stakes were simply too monumental.
"Look, I think they're back!" Zhu Qingyu, whose eyes had stayed fixed on the sky, suddenly called out.
The group looked up, expressions brightening with relief as they spotted two converging streaks of light emerging abruptly from the clouds.
A moment later, the silhouettes within the light revealed themselves: it was the Golden-Winged Great Peng and the Peacock King.
Before long, they touched down, and Lu Yuan led his companions to the ground.
"King Lu!" Elder Ji hurried forward to greet him.
Lu Yuan nodded in response, then exchanged a look with Jiang Ningxian. A tacit understanding had grown between them; each knew what the other was thinking. She gave the group a slight bow and departed without delay, needing to contact her clan to ascertain the situation and find a means to halt the Ranked Immortals of the various star sectors. The matter was urgent and could brook no delay.
Turning toward Elder Ji and the others, Lu Yuan asked with a calm smile, "Now, tell me what is happening beyond Earth."
Although the star-strewn sky made the general picture clear enough, he still needed more details.
"About a month ago, we discovered numerous starry passages abruptly appearing at the edge of the solar system," Elder Ji began, producing satellite surveillance footage that offered a direct view. "Many extraterrestrial beings emerged from them and advanced steadily toward Earth. By now, they are right outside our world."
In truth, had the extraterrestrial beings wished to, they could have easily destroyed those technological instruments. Yet they had deliberately left them intact, clearly intending to showcase their full might to the inhabitants of this world.
Watching the footage, Lu Yuan saw that warships, floating islands, and even minor astral bodies had gathered in the void beyond Earth, resembling the descent of myriad heavens. What was even more terrifying was the vast sea of stars present among them; they were not physical stars, so they occupied no actual space. The figures of the Ranked Immortals standing atop them were likewise projections beamed across the deep void. Yet because those entities possessed such immense power, they could exert their influence even across such staggering distances, truly living up to their status as beings transcending the Saint Realm.
The deep void had always been synonymous with silence, desolation, and cold. But now the solar system was crowded with major star sectors, each great star radiating brilliant, dazzling light. That light was not reflected from the sun, but radiated from within, as if putting their inherent might on display and exerting overwhelming pressure.
Seeing this, Lu Yuan understood that the Ranked Immortals of the various star sectors were unleashing supreme divine powers to counter the Severance of Heaven and Earth. They were projecting the aura of their respective star sectors onto Earth to ultimately achieve complete descent. However, this was merely the beginning and would take time.
In the end, Lu Yuan shared everything he knew with Elder Ji and the others so they could prepare themselves mentally.
"A complete descent? Then... do we have any way to stop them?" Hearing this, Elder Yun immediately grasped the severity of the situation. Once those extraterrestrial beings could come and go at will without restraint, virtually no one in this world could oppose them, leaving humanity in extreme peril. Yet as soon as the words left his mouth, he shook his head with a sigh. What could possibly stop extraterrestrial Ranked Immortals? Currently, the strongest beings in this world had only reached the Sovereign King Realm.
"There may be a way. Fairy Jiang will be assisting us," Lu Yuan said, easing their despair while still cautioning them to prepare for the worst. No one could guarantee how things would unfold, but for now, a full descent would not happen quickly. There was still time to prepare.
"King Lu, there is another issue," Elder Ji said with a furrowed brow. "The extraterrestrial beings who have already arrived are spreading propaganda on a massive scale. A portion of the population has begun to believe them and wants to join their ranks. Should we do something about it?"
He felt this matter needed to be addressed, as allowing it to continue could lead to disaster. If the populace bought into the rhetoric and defected to extraterrestrial clans, the situation would become deeply unfavorable.
"We only need to inform the public that the authorities have a solution and keep things stable to prevent chaos," Lu Yuan said, looking up. "As for those defecting to extraterrestrial clans, let them do as they wish."
In his view, anyone who believed at such a juncture that outsiders would protect them lacked sound judgment to begin with. The authorities needed only to maintain stability without overextending themselves. As before, the priority was to gather strength and do what lay within their capability; intervening beyond that was simply outside their power.
"Understood," Elder Ji and the others replied with a nod, grasping his point. The situation was already chaotic enough; reckless interference would only inflame tensions. While the authorities could protect themselves at this stage, ordinary citizens could not. Maintaining stability across the five super cities was the overarching priority.
"Qingyu, Young Heavenly Master, Brother Gu Sang," Lu Yuan said, turning back toward them. "Moving forward, your main focus should still be cultivating and evolving. Coordinate with the sect masters of the Three Immortal Islands to foster more and stronger Awakened. The Great Era has arrived. If we clash with extraterrestrial forces in the future, we will need an army. The people under your command will be the troops of the Heavenly Court."
He had considered this on the journey back: since the Heavenly Court had already been established, he might as well forge it completely. Contending with the major clans of various star sectors in the future would certainly require a battle-hardened force, just like the heavenly soldiers and generals he had seen in the Mount Kunlun Mystic Realm. With the Ancient Heavenly Emperor Token and the Investiture Decree in hand, accomplishing this would not be difficult.
"Yes!" Zhu Qingyu and the others responded, nodding in unison. This was the first direct order he had given them, and they were determined to carry it out faithfully.
After speaking with the group a while longer to analyze the situation, Lu Yuan took his leave and returned to his room alone.
Now, beyond waiting for word from Jiang Ningxian, there was another crucial matter he had to attend to!
Chapter 194