Everything had happened far too fast.
To win Lu Yuan over, the Eternal Clan had chosen to display goodwill and mediate his feud with the Spirit Clan. By all logic, an ordinary person would have accepted, for the mediator was the Eternal Clan itself. Extraterrestrial beings throughout the cosmos knew full well how mysterious and powerful this clan was; virtually nothing under the vast starry sky dared provoke them.
Under such circumstances, acceptance should have been the only conceivable choice. Yet to everyone's astonishment, Lu Yuan refused—and did so with utter decisiveness.
Such a move instantly enraged the members of the Eternal Clan, and the two sides immediately came to blows. What shocked the onlookers even more was that Lu Yuan showed no intention of holding back. The moment he resolved to strike, he attacked without hesitation.
On the other side, after Lu Yuan delivered that ringing slap, Yu Qing's eyes went wide. She found it utterly unbelievable. But as the burning pain flared across her cheek, an overwhelming fury surged in her eyes. From the day she was born until now, she had never suffered such an indignity—especially with a slap landed right in front of so many spectators!
She desperately wanted to break free, yet found herself entirely powerless. Crushed beneath the suppression of Lu Yuan's vitality, she could do nothing except scream curses. "Lu Yuan, you are courting death! How dare you lay a hand on me! I will see you die without a burial ground, completely reduced to ashes! I will make you and everyone by your side pay the price!"
At this moment, Yu Qing had been driven half-mad.
"Lu Yuan, you went a bit too far just now."
It was then that the strongest among them, Yu Heng, finally spoke.
"Too far?" Hearing this, Lu Yuan merely chuckled and replied, "If I hadn't struck, I would be the one injured. She clearly bore killing intent toward me, yet from beginning to end, I have done nothing excessive. I simply refused your terms. But she remained aggressive and overbearing. Tell me, who was being excessive? Everyone says the Eternal Clan is domineering and tyrannical. Seeing you today, it seems the rumors are true."
Yu Heng offered no explanation in response, merely saying in a calm, flat tone, "Release her now. If you do, there are matters I can let bygones be bygones. As for becoming a sworn enemy of the Eternal Clan, I fear you cannot bear the consequences."
The man appeared completely composed, maintaining the same lofty posture as if brooking no discussion, merely issuing a command laced with a threat. His gaze gradually sharpened as he looked at Lu Yuan, his voice turning even colder than before.
At this point, Jiang Haokong, who had been watching from the side, could no longer hold back.
He was naturally proud and possessed a short temper. Hearing those threatening words, he could not stomach them any longer and cut in, "And if we refuse to let her go? What can you do? At worst, it's just a fight! If you want a battle, we can keep you company!"
As the Divine Son of the Jiang clan, Jiang Haokong possessed absolute confidence, even against the Eternal Clan. Even if they hailed from such a background, he had no desire to cater to them.
The surrounding air seemed to freeze.
The extraterrestrial onlookers exchanged stunned glances. They had no idea where this newcomer had come from, daring to shout defiance at the Eternal Clan! That was the Eternal Clan, mysterious and formidable. Yet now, Lu Yuan—and even his companion—had provoked them and entered into open conflict.
Meanwhile, members of the Nether Bull Clan, Three-Headed Ghost Clan, Yin Sparrow Clan, and others all broke into smiles. Snapping back to their senses, excitement immediately seized them. This meant Lu Yuan had gained another terrifying enemy, one ranked among the top ten across the entire starry sky, and would inevitably suffer a horrific blow in the future.
No, there was no need to wait for the future; a battle was bound to erupt right now.
They had harbored bitter resentment toward Lu Yuan all along, previously held back only by dread of his strength. Before this, they had suffered immense losses at his hands and dared not provoke him carelessly. These beings knew full well that the Eternal Clan was inherently tyrannical and extraordinarily powerful. Regardless of who won or lost when the two sides clashed, it would not be a bad thing for them. The mythological secret realm of Mount Huang would likely open before long; if they could reap the benefits while the fishermen fought, it was an outcome they eagerly anticipated.
Gloating expressions surfaced in the eyes of Lei Xiao and the others of the Celestial Clan. Everyone wore the look of someone watching a spectacle, eager to see how events would unfold. This clash was unavoidable.
"There's no need to waste more breath on them. Strike directly!"
Another man, named Yu Hong, could tolerate it no longer. He immediately stepped forward, the divine halo behind his head blazing with sharp, piercing rays of light. In an instant, the brilliance radiating from his body crushed the surrounding boulders and trees to powder.
Seeing this, Jiang Haokong's eyes narrowed, preparing to engage.
However, Lu Yuan stopped him, saying softly, "Let me handle this alone."
Lu Yuan knew that once the Daluo sword core was discovered in the future, conflict would be inevitable anyway. He never actively sought trouble, but by the same token, he never feared anyone. Now that the other party had deliberately provoked him, he naturally would not show any courtesy.
Jiang Haokong wanted to say more, but quickly realized there were many beings watching around them. If both of them joined the fray, who would protect Zhu Qingyu and the others? He nodded and took a step back.
"You alone? Arrogant!" Yu Hong felt slighted, and the aura around him grew increasingly violent.
He then blasted forward with a strike!
Lu Yuan did not hesitate either. His golden vitality surged, and he raised one hand, forming a fist seal, then punched out!
*Boom!* The raging golden vitality transformed directly into a boundless ocean!
Accompanying that punch, a tempestuous force swept outward like a violent storm. Although it was a simple blow, Lu Yuan's current strength and cultivation realm were worlds apart from before. Under this punch, the surrounding space hummed and vibrated, and the mountains and rivers below trembled.
This display caused the extraterrestrial beings watching in the distance to pale in shock.
Opposite him, Yu Hong of the Eternal Clan felt a power formidable to the extreme, and his face changed slightly. Even after circulating all the power within his body, he could not resist being knocked backward, his face turning pale. He realized that this human, Lu Yuan, was far stronger than he had imagined!
At this moment, Lu Yuan was suppressing Yu Qing with one hand while battling Yu Hong with the other, yet he bore not the slightest hint of pressure. Witnessing such prowess, even the Celestial Clan members, including Lei Xiao, were thoroughly stunned.
"Since you are so presumptuous, do not blame me for showing no mercy."
Yu Heng, the strongest of the three, could finally bear it no longer, his patience completely exhausted. Without any wasted motion, he simply raised his palm. Instantly, an intensely suffocating pressure descended upon the void, and the divine halo behind his head blazed with dazzling brilliance.
And at that very moment, Lu Yuan sensed a keen premonition of danger.
This man was truly strong!
Chapter 266