In the extraterrestrial depths of space, battleships sailed and divine islands floated.
Even more magnificent palaces radiated boundless light, seemingly illuminating the entire dark universe.
Surging through it all were continuous torrents of formidable power. The space beyond Earth looked like a scene straight out of mythology, utterly transformed from the old era.
These belonged to extraterrestrial beings who had descended, though some were so powerful that they remained held back by the Severance of Heaven and Earth.
Even so, with the passage of time, they would eventually be able to descend directly to Earth. Right at this moment, however, a piece of news sent shockwaves through all the extraterrestrial beings.
Lei Xiao of the Celestial Clan, Yu Heng of the Eternal Clan, and over a hundred Saint Realm experts from various clans had all been slain during their expedition into the Immortal Cave.
And the one responsible was none other than the very human who had been giving them immense headaches: Lu Yuan. Instantly, all the clans involved erupted in fury.
"This human, Lu Yuan, is far too arrogant! How dare he lay hands on our clan's members!"
"Indeed. Our clan had no grudge against him, yet he exterminated them all without mercy. This debt must be repaid in blood!"
"Once the power of the Severance of Heaven and Earth recedes again, let us not hesitate. We will surround and kill him together, with no reservations!"
Voices carrying intense rage echoed across this sector of space, vibrating even the nearby meteorites.
Without exception, those speaking were figures who had reached the Great Saint Realm, now seething with murderous intent. Having dispatched their own kin—and Saint Realm experts at that—only for them to be slaughtered by Lu Yuan infuriated these mighty figures to no end. Had they not feared being suppressed by the worldly restrictions, they likely would have descended right then and there.
Of course, they all knew it would not be much longer. Lu Yuan's existence had already troubled them greatly, preventing their subordinates from completely conquering this world; after all, no one had expected someone like him to emerge from the Milky Way Star Sector.
Now, coupled with this fresh grievance, the Great Saints of the various clans could bear it no longer.
They had already agreed among themselves that the very first thing they would do upon descending was slay Lu Yuan. Yet before that, they resolved to take their revenge in other ways.
Lu Yuan was undeniably powerful, and the clans currently had no means to deal with him directly. But that did not mean every single human in the Milky Way Star Sector shared his strength.
Did they not have their so-called five super cities? Blood debts had to be repaid in blood. Thus, the various clans began plotting behind the scenes, intending to collect part of the debt first.
Meanwhile, within a grand hall out in the starry sky...
"To think Lu Yuan has already achieved the Saint Realm... and as a Demi-Saint?"
The speaker was a woman—Zhou Yunqiong, whose physical body had been reshaped. Shock and disbelief filled her eyes.
She could not fathom how he could have reached such heights in so short a time. Zhou Yunqiong herself had relied on the assistance of the Ji clan to reach the Demi-Saint Realm just recently. She had consumed countless resources, along with the Ji clan's supreme breathing method and visualization method.
What did Lu Yuan have to rely on? Involuntarily, Zhou Yunqiong began to feel that her hopes for vengeance were dwindling.
"It is indeed unexpected. This Lu Yuan has no extraordinary lineage in his ancestry, nor has he awakened any formidable inherent powers, yet he managed to reach the Demi-Saint Realm at this point. If he is allowed to keep growing, he will undoubtedly become a grave threat. We cannot let him live any longer."
Ji Hongyu spoke as well, thoroughly astonished, acknowledging that Lu Yuan was quite a talent. Unfortunately, the eminent figure above had already issued a decree for Lu Yuan's execution. Under these circumstances, he had no choice but to take action.
With that thought, he rose to his feet and turned toward Zhou Yunqiong. "Miss Yunqiong, the power of the Severance of Heaven and Earth is steadily weakening. We should soon find a way to descend as well. That entity will also arrive before long, so preparations must be made in advance. As for that Lu Yuan, he cannot be allowed to remain alive. This works out well—we shall strike this time to avenge you. In the future, he would inevitably become a Great Saint, or perhaps even an immortal. If that happened, he would be difficult to handle, so right now is the perfect opportunity."
"You will join hands with me?" Zhou Yunqiong's eyes brightened with joy. She was well aware that Ji Hongyu was a chosen pride of the sequence tier, possessing immense cultivation and combat prowess. Under these circumstances, if he joined forces with her and a few others, killing Lu Yuan might still be troublesome, but they would definitely have a viable chance. Besides, they had their own hidden trump cards.
"Naturally," Ji Hongyu said with a smile, gazing toward the distant Earth. After a brief pause, he added, "It should be in about half a month." Possessing profound strength, he could perceive many things others could not, aided further by the secret arts of the Ji clan.
"Good." Hearing this, Zhou Yunqiong smiled as well. Her hatred for Lu Yuan had long since seeped into her bones. Given the chance to slay him, she would not hesitate for an instant. Furthermore, she knew full well that besides herself, many other beings among the star-faring clans were eager to see Lu Yuan dead.
Several days later, on Mount Tai.
Lu Yuan emerged from seclusion, every aspect of his state refined to its peak. In the meantime, he also checked on the cultivation progress of Zhu Qingyu and the others, which was indeed very promising.
However, emerging from seclusion this time was also driven by a more important matter: he needed to leave Mount Tai temporarily. Just as he was about to depart, Jiang Ningxian walked over.
"You want to come with me?" When she stated her intention, Lu Yuan was taken aback for a moment, then chuckled. "Do you even know where I'm going or what I plan to do?"
"No idea, but I've been in secluded cultivation recently and grew bored of it long ago. I'd rather take a walk outside." Two small dimples appeared on Jiang Ningxian's cheeks as she smiled, her mind clearly made up.
Seeing this, Lu Yuan nodded helplessly. "Fine, no problem." Although the place he was heading was somewhat perilous, to Jiang Ningxian, it posed virtually no real danger. Furthermore, this trip was hardly a state secret, so there was no harm in bringing her along.
Without another word, the two tore through the void. This was the convenience of reaching the Saint Realm: one needed no elaborate preparation. They could go wherever they pleased, and could even leap into the cosmos if they so desired.
A short while later, the two arrived at their destination. Standing in midair, Jiang Ningxian looked down at the mountains and rivers below, surprise flickering in her eyes.
Ahead of them, mountain peaks soared straight into the clouds. Of course, that alone was nothing special, as mountains everywhere looked like that in the New Era. What truly astonished her was the phenomenon taking shape there.
Streaks of multi-hued rosy light poured into the heavens, bearing immense, formidable power. Right before her eyes, they transformed into the miraculous forms of a dragon and a tiger locked in combat.
Anyone could tell that this was an extraordinary place.
After observing it closely, Jiang Ningxian turned to look at Lu Yuan beside her and could not help but ask, "Mount Longhu? The ancestral court of Daoism?"
Chapter 287