Everything had drawn to a temporary close.
Lu Yuan looked back at the Zhou family domain, which was now utterly destroyed. Feeling nothing stir within him, he turned, tore through the void, and set off for Mount Tai.
Meanwhile, at Mount Tai, the Awakened who had gathered earlier had already dispersed. They had truly wished to catch another glimpse of Lu Yuan, but Elder Ji knew that Lu Yuan had never cared for such social obligations. He had told them that King Lu had only just broken through into the Saint Realm and had immediately fought an intense battle afterward, so he would likely need ample time to rest and adjust.
If the opportunity arose in the future, they would surely meet again. Those Awakened who had rushed over under such dire circumstances were naturally sensible people. Hearing these words, they did not linger or make demands. Thinking that as long as King Lu was safe, their presence was no longer required, they chose to take their leave.
However, some still insisted on staying, saying they wanted to join the Heavenly Court and follow King Lu from then on.
Lu Yuan had attained the Saint Realm and averted yet another catastrophe; his prestige was now unmatched. The Heavenly Court he established naturally became the sanctuary that everyone yearned for most.
If one could join, it would be a blessing. Some even believed that as time went on and the era continued to shift, the future Heavenly Court—under King Lu's leadership—would grow to an unfathomable height of strength. In the past, the authorities had also stated that the Heavenly Court might become the bulwark against extraterrestrial beings in the days ahead.
After this incident, many people had come to realize that extraterrestrial beings could never be fully trusted. Once Earth's protective barrier vanished completely in the future, they would descend in full force. To protect oneself and preserve the lives of the populace, sufficient strength was an absolute necessity.
The Heavenly Court could accomplish that!
Consequently, many began contemplating joining its ranks. This took Elder Ji and the others by surprise, yet it was a welcome development. The Heavenly Court indeed needed fresh blood right now if it was to truly grow into a formidable faction in the future.
Naturally, other personnel could handle those matters. The leadership and core members of the Heavenly Court—such as Zhu Qingyu, Ice Fairy, Little Heavenly Master Chunyang, and the mutated beasts led by the Golden-Winged Great Peng and the Peacock King—were all waiting inside the Trial Academy.
They knew what Lu Yuan had gone to do and understood it would not take long, so all they needed to do was wait.
Jiang Ningxian was also there. Unlike the anxious crowd, however, she remained calm, silently reviewing the previous game of go in her mind.
*Hum—*
Before long, the sky trembled, and a powerful aura emerged.
Everyone looked up and saw a silhouette appear above.
It was Lu Yuan. He walked down directly from the sky with a smile on his face, then took out all the spoils gathered from the Zhou family. "The Zhou family is essentially resolved. For some time to come, no extraterrestrial beings should appear to stir up trouble.
"A lull will open up ahead. Elder Ji, Elder Yun, I will have to trouble you two to work hard and thoroughly bring the situation under control.
"It would be best to firmly establish the framework of the Heavenly Court, because in the future, we will face far graver challenges."
Though all seemed calm on the surface, everything had only just begun; they needed to prepare for danger in times of peace. Lu Yuan understood this clearly. But this was not something a single person could accomplish alone—it required the concerted efforts of a group.
"Rest assured, King Lu. We old men still know what needs to be done, and we certainly will not disappoint you," Elder Ji replied. He knew that the next step was to purge the factions that had sided with extraterrestrial beings.
Even if they could not completely eradicate them, those people had to be brought under strict control, and their resources concentrated and funneled into the Heavenly Court.
Hearing this, Lu Yuan nodded, then turned to Zhu Qingyu and the others.
"Your current strength is still not enough. You must continue cultivating and evolving. The adversaries we will face in the future will be exceedingly strong; only by reaching at least the Sovereign King Realm will you barely be able to hold your own."
The Saint Realm was not something one could enter on a whim. He was well aware of this, and the Sovereign King Realm was the bare minimum requirement.
Of course, Lu Yuan had faith in them. In his previous life, these individuals had been the most pinnacle figures on Earth. In both strength and innate talent, they were exceptionally gifted. All they needed was time.
"Understood, King Lu," Zhu Qingyu, Ice Fairy, and the others answered with solemn nods.
After Lu Yuan gave a few more instructions, the crowd departed.
As for the Golden-Winged Great Peng and the Peacock King, he arranged for these Beast Kings to patrol various regions. They were to check whether any famous mountains or great rivers had undergone new revivals, search for more fortune, and bring it back to the Heavenly Court, pooling resources to cultivate their people.
The second revival mutation had passed. Next would be the wait for the third.
That would be the final one—at least in Lu Yuan's memories.
Naturally, the omen of its arrival was simple: the complete dissipation of the Severance of Heaven and Earth's power. Earth would truly have to face the invasion of the various star sectors.
Before then, thorough preparations had to be made. Perhaps at that time, he too would leave Earth.
Without dwelling further, Lu Yuan watched everyone leave, then turned his gaze toward the long-robed figure standing in the courtyard.
"You still have something to say to me?" He smiled, walking up to her and speaking softly.
"Of course," Jiang Ningxian nodded. "This time, though you resolved the crisis, you also exposed your true strength. The various extraterrestrial clans will surely catch wind of it. Earlier on the Moon, you used Earth's ancient sages to repel the Ranked Immortals; those great clans will likely find that humiliation impossible to swallow.
"Even though the power of the Severance of Heaven and Earth remains, it will vanish eventually. When that time comes, you might find yourself an enemy to the entire world."
She was not smiling as she usually did, her expression grave because she knew how events would unfold.
In the past, the various star sectors had viewed the long-sealed Milky Way Star Sector as a backward civilization. They had planned to plunder all its fortune and the destiny of the grand era once it revived.
In fact, they had already begun doing so. Were it not for Lu Yuan, their plans might have progressed significantly by now.
Yet now, everything had deviated from their expectations. Certain powerful clans across the star sectors would inevitably regard Lu Yuan as a thorn in their side.
Coupled with the fact that he had already offended the Ji clan and the Celestial Clan, saying he would be an enemy to the entire world might not be entirely accurate, but it was by no means an exaggeration.
"Those people think too highly of me." Lu Yuan shook his head, seemingly unconcerned. "When soldiers come, generals block them; when water rises, earth dams it."
Jiang Ningxian watched him closely, wanting to see whether there was any trace of fear in him, but found none.
Her admiration for Lu Yuan deepened even further. Yet she did not dwell on the matter.
Taking a deep breath, she continued, "Now that you have entered the Saint Realm, I will soon need to enter seclusion as well. Before that, there are a few things you need to understand: the realms above the three realms of the Saint Domain, those realms above the Immortals.
"Civilization in this world has fractures, and you have never had anyone to guide you. In that case, let me enlighten you."
Above the three realms of the Saint Domain?
Above the Immortals?
Chapter 225