"The Demi-Saint Realm?"
When Elder Ji and Elder Yun heard this, looks of sheer astonishment swept across their faces, finding it utterly incredible. They had watched Lu Yuan's cultivation and evolution with their own eyes. They knew how he had advanced step by step from the Golden Body Realm to the Sovereign King Realm, and then entered the Saint Realm. From beginning to end, barely two or three years had passed. One had to realize that most people were still struggling in the second and third stages. Even the stronger individuals blessed with extraordinary talent and resources were only at the fourth stage.
More than that, they were acutely aware of how little time had elapsed since he stepped into the Saint Realm. Yet he was already poised to break through again, advancing to the seventh stage of evolution.
"The next goal: the Demi-Saint Realm."
After their momentary shock subsided, they immediately spoke: "Congratulations, King Lu."
Both men understood that despite the increasing numbers of extraterrestrial beings descending and the growing severity of future events, as long as King Lu was formidable enough and the Heavenly Court accumulated deep foundations of strength, they would be prepared to handle whatever unexpected troubles arose.
Lu Yuan had shared this news precisely to put their minds at ease. In the New Era, strength was everything.
"Going forward, things will proceed as before. As long as those extraterrestrial beings do not actively provoke trouble, we have no need to pay them any mind," Lu Yuan added. Soon, he would enter seclusion to formally strike at the Demi-Saint Realm.
"Understood, King Lu. We know what to do," Elder Ji and Elder Yun acknowledged with nods.
Although Lu Yuan held supreme authority, the high-ranking leaders carried out his will faithfully. Lu Yuan rose to his feet, unwilling to waste any more time. Without hesitation, he turned and left the courtyard, heading straight for the cultivation chamber.
Unlike before, he did not choose to completely sever his six senses during this seclusion. Instead, he projected a strand of his consciousness outwards so that if any unexpected changes occurred in the world outside, he would learn of them immediately.
Settling down cross-legged, Lu Yuan began his meditation.
"The grand descent is already beginning. Whether the power of the Severance of Heaven and Earth remains or not hardly makes much difference anymore," he mused with a soft sigh. He understood that many of those arriving on Earth now were core figures of various races, all exceedingly powerful. Today, the only beings the Severance could genuinely hold back were the true powerhouses—Great Saints, or those above the Immortals.
Even so, with the vast power of the extraterrestrial races, threatening Earth was hardly difficult. Yet he was disinclined to meddle in those mundane affairs; it was far too tedious.
The extraterrestrial beings descending now were each more troublesome than the last, demanding even greater combat prowess to confront them. If he could take another step forward, his strength would see another massive surge.
All his prior preparations were nearly complete, and bolstered by his diverse foundations, he possessed immense confidence. Compared to breaking through from the Sovereign King Realm into the Saint Realm, this transition was relatively simpler—it merely required some time. Lu Yuan could certainly have continued accumulating energy, but he understood clearly that now, all he needed was to break through.
As his thoughts settled, the aura emanating from him grew thicker and more majestic than ever. After all, whether in physical constitution or divine soul, he had already reached a terrifying degree of depth.
As Lu Yuan commenced his cultivation, he directly circulated his visualization and breathing methods. Both techniques ranked at the pinnacle of the world. Putting aside the complete Daodejing, which allowed him to visualize the boundless cosmos, the Ancestral Dragon Breathing Method alone—capable of opening one hundred and eight thousand grotto-heavens and bestowing a hundred-and-eight-thousand-fold increase in combat power—was something he knew would drive even the greatest interstellar races mad with envy.
By now, the number of grotto-heavens Lu Yuan had opened had reached sixty-nine. Though it seemed modest, it was already horrifyingly potent. Furthermore, the higher his cultivation realm grew, the easier it became to open subsequent grotto-heavens, while the combat power they granted remained constant. Yet those who had forced Lu Yuan to unleash the Ancestral Dragon Breathing Method were limited to Lei You and the other two Saints; none besides them had ever done so.
Golden vital blood surged once more across his body, and the Great Sun Crucible radiated overwhelming majesty. The Yongzhou Cauldron, one of the Nine Cauldrons, materialized to suppress and stabilize the roiling power within him. Lu Yuan began to visualize the vastness of the universe, and between his nose and mouth, streams of draconic essence coiled and flowed.
After Lu Yuan entered seclusion, the Heavenly Court functioned as usual, keeping close watch over the movements of the outside world.
In truth, more and more great interstellar races were descending, staking claims on famous mountains and great rivers to establish their domains. Curiously, however, none went to myth-shrouded peaks such as Kunlun or Mount Longhu; instead, they all settled upon obscure locations. The Changbai Mountain occupied by the Celestial Clan was already the most renowned among them. Elder Ji and the others had no idea what scheme these factions were plotting. Of course, following Lu Yuan's instructions, so long as the outsiders did not actively provoke them, the Heavenly Court paid them no heed.
On this day, amidst another mountain range where no extraterrestrial beings had gathered and few humans ever set foot, the surrounding space suddenly vibrated. Ripples spread outward across the void, and a spatial passage soon took form.
After a brief moment, a figure slowly stepped out of the rift.
It was a youth clad in green robes, dressed in archaic attire. His features were remarkably delicate, his frame slender, and his eyes bright and clear. As he stepped through the passage with a face full of curiosity, he finally set foot upon the soil of Earth.
"The effects of the Severance of Heaven and Earth still linger. No wonder those old fogies made me suppress my cultivation—otherwise, I truly wouldn't have been able to descend," the youth murmured, sensing the surrounding world as a smile touched his lips.
He had yearned to visit this place for a long time, braving the journey across the star realms to finally succeed. Overjoyed, he carefully examined every blade of grass and tree around him.
Gazing toward a particular direction to confirm his bearings, the youth continued, "I wonder if that fellow truly lives up to the rumors. Ah, never mind that for now—let's go find that Lu Yuan first."
With those words, he took a step forward. His entire form turned ethereal before vanishing into thin air.
His speed was astonishing, yet Earth had expanded vastly, so it still took him several days to reach his destination. His goal was none other than Mount Tai.
Moments later, his feet touched the earth as he looked up at Mount Tai. The youth could not help but halt in his tracks, his eyes shining with growing brilliance. "My family's ancient records say Mount Tai reaches so high the heavens cannot be touched. It is indeed so—magnificent and grand. Though it cannot rival the Ancestral Star, its enigmatic aura is perhaps even greater. Truly, this is a world where a great era begins."
Marveling aloud, he kept observing as he drew closer to get a better look, stepping directly into the perimeter of Mount Tai.
However, a squad of figures suddenly appeared.
Every one of them was in the Golden Body Realm, possessing substantial strength. They were warriors from the Heavenly Court's Four Divisions, tasked with guarding Mount Tai. Seeing a stranger descend and trespass into this domain, they immediately stepped forward.
"Halt! This is Mount Tai, the seat of the Heavenly Court!"
Yet the green-robed youth seemed not to hear them at all, continuing his stride toward Mount Tai.
Seeing this, the guards exchanged glances. Without another word, each circulated the energy within their bodies, preparing to strike.
Chapter 243