This aura was immensely powerful, surpassing everyone standing before the youth and carrying an overwhelming majesty.
"Has the master finally arrived?" The youth's eyes lit up. He stopped intensifying his aura, his face filling with anticipation.
Below, the crowd recovered their senses and turned around in surprise.
From that direction, a figure slowly appeared, walking with his hands clasped behind his back and a calm expression. Yet the moment he arrived,
the tense atmosphere vanished without a trace. Nearly everyone let out a sigh of relief, the unease in their hearts completely dissipating.
The newcomer was none other than Lu Yuan, who had just entered seclusion. Earlier, he had left a strand of his consciousness outside,
fearing that extraterrestrial beings might suddenly breach Mount Tai and wreak havoc. Although the chances were slim, he had to remain vigilant. The framework of the Heavenly Court had not been easy to establish, and any unexpected mishap would cause immense trouble.
Soon, Lu Yuan arrived before them. Looking at the youth, he knitted his brows. He did not recognize the person in front of him at all and had no idea who he was.
"Are you that human, Lu Yuan?" the youth asked to confirm.
"I am." Lu Yuan nodded without denial, just about to speak. But the youth seemed entirely uninterested in talking; he took a direct stride forward, his aura surging once more.
Behind him, the blazing sun rolled in waves, shooting out beam after beam of divine radiance with boundless majesty, causing the surrounding void to tremble.
This youth was undeniably formidable. Sensing such immense pressure, the Peacock King and the others were thoroughly shocked, concluding that he was indeed stronger than any extraterrestrial Saint Realm cultivator they had encountered before.
Lu Yuan, however, paid it no mind and showed no panic. He merely took a step forward and extended his palm.
In an instant, ancient temples and Buddhist sanctuaries rose from the ground, manifesting in midair. Chants of Sanskrit echoed, as though delivering salvation to the mortal world.
The blazing sun was held in place. Then, Lu Yuan squeezed his hand, crushing it directly. Boom! The sun exploded,
illuminating the entire sky and shattering the cloud layers.
"A grand Buddhist divine ability? To think you could wield it to such an extent. Excellent, you truly didn't disappoint me." The youth showed no panic at the sight.
He stepped forward once more, but this time he employed no techniques. Dazzling radiance surged from his body as he threw a straightforward, unadorned punch.
Lu Yuan could tell that this youth possessed terrifying strength; otherwise, he wouldn't have resorted to the Buddha Kingdom in the Palm right from the start.
In particular, as the youth charged, the sheer physical pressure he exerted was so intense that even Lu Yuan felt a slight threat.
A worthy opponent! Moreover, Lu Yuan sensed no killing intent from him; it seemed he merely wanted a fight.
Very well. In that case, I will grant your wish.
Likewise, he channeled no divine abilities at all. Relying purely on physical might, he met the youth with a direct punch of his own.
Clang!
Their fists collided like gold striking stone, unleashing a thunderous roar. Neither intended to stop, yet both knew their strength would cause the buildings below to collapse if they fought without restraint. After the initial clash, they shifted hundreds of li across the landscape in a flash,
arriving in a desolate area with no living beings before clashing once more. Boom! Boom! Boom! The two fought like primal brutes.
The mere collision of their fists triggered earthquakes below. The earth cracked open into deep chasms, and mountain ridges were displaced.
Through mere physical might alone, they could alter the very terrain.
"Flaming Sun Killing Fist!" The youth's fists transformed into two blazing suns, flanking him on the left and right, engulfing the surrounding space.
Rumble! The earth groaned as if unable to bear the burden. At that moment, he took a step and instantly appeared before Lu Yuan, driving both fists forward while calling out a warning: "Careful now, I won't be able to hold back the force of this strike!"
"No need to hold back." Lu Yuan smiled faintly. In terms of physical strength, this youth was the very first person capable of fighting him to such a standstill.
Still, it was time to put in some real effort.
Without hesitation, his chest began to heave. Dragon-shaped vital essence emerged between his mouth and nose.
The Ancestral Dragon Breathing Method was activated, and facing his opponent, he threw a punch straight forward. Roar! Driven by the breathing method,
the punch brought forth the phantom of a true dragon, which instantly slammed into the youth's twin blazing suns.
Rumble!
The sky darkened in that instant. Beneath the immense shockwave, trees and vegetation shattered, and giant boulders collapsed.
The youth, ultimately a notch inferior in this aspect, was forced backward continuously, his face paling slightly.
Far away at Mount Tai, although people could not see what was happening, they could tell from the auras that King Lu had unquestionably held the upper hand in the exchange.
King Lu was still King Lu—ever the foremost fighter on Earth, the invincible one beneath the starry skies.
"You really are something. Why is your physique like divine metal?" The youth raised his hand and looked at the split webbing of his hand, feeling shaken. How many trials had his body undergone, and how many divine herbs had gone into forging it?
Yet now, his opponent had completely suppressed him in this regard.
"You aren't bad either," Lu Yuan said sincerely. Setting all other factors aside, in terms of sheer strength, this person was the most formidable opponent he had faced to date.
"Just 'not bad'?" The youth sounded indignant. "I still have trump cards! Come, come, let's go again!" With that, he stepped forward, his aura thickening as brilliant divine light surfaced across his skin.
"Jiang Haokong, stop right this instant!" But just then, a cold, clear voice rang out from the distance.
Lu Yuan's heart stirred upon hearing it, recognizing the voice immediately. Right after, the youth shuddered, instantly reeling in his aura.
From the direction of the voice, Jiang Ningxian walked over step by step. Unlike her demeanor with Lu Yuan, her expression now was cold and stern, her gaze grave.
She walked over until she stood before the youth, speaking again: "Jiang Haokong, being willful on the Ancestral Star is one thing, but coming here and acting so recklessly—do you truly believe no one can discipline you?"
"Sis, I... I was just..." The youth tried to explain, but Jiang Ningxian reached out and twisted his ear.
"You dare talk back!"
"I won't, I won't!" Facing his elder sister, the youth lost all his earlier swagger, begging for mercy like an ordinary child.
Only after a good while did Jiang Ningxian let go. She turned toward Lu Yuan with an apologetic look. "I'm so sorry. This is my younger brother. I didn't think he would arrive so early, who would have thought..." She had also just emerged from seclusion, sensed her brother's aura, and seen the situation at the Trial Academy, immediately understanding what had occurred.
Thus, she had rushed over without a moment's delay. After all, Jiang Ningxian knew very well that if her brother and Lu Yuan truly fought in earnest,
it would get out of hand.
"Your brother?" Lu Yuan smiled, looked at the youth, and continued, "So, you are that Divine Son of the Jiang clan from the Desolate Flame Star Domain?"
Chapter 245