Unlike before, having successively fused three distinct divine relics, combined with his own profound foundation, Lu Yuan's physical transformation this time had essentially reached an unbelievable degree.
Take, for instance, the Furnace of Heaven and Earth manifested by his sheer physical strength. Yin and yang converged, their power endlessly generating. Under these conditions, as Lu Yuan grew stronger, the Furnace of Heaven and Earth would continuously accumulate all kinds of power within itself and grow. In other words, it was just like the innate spirit in his mind—it possessed immense potential, and all that remained was to unlock it. Lu Yuan could sense that although the Furnace of Heaven and Earth had only just emerged, its might was already formidable.
"Not bad. I just wonder how far your potential will reach," he murmured with a smile in his eyes. He did not continue observing it, however, choosing instead to rein in all his aura. In an instant, the golden blood qi vanished, and the miniature folded space stabilized completely.
At present, Lu Yuan seemed devoid of anything formidable or peculiar because it had all been concealed. Aided by the Innate Qi Robe, outsiders would find it very difficult to perceive anything unusual. However, spending extended time with him would still reveal subtle changes; the strong possessed the bearing of the strong, shifting with their cultivation. Seeing that nothing else remained to be done, Lu Yuan took a single stride forward and exited the space.
The moment he stepped outside, he sensed a potent aura. Looking up, he saw Jiang Ningxian not far away. She had clearly been standing guard for him.
"You're finally out. Any longer and I would have walked off, leaving you to your own devices," Jiang Ningxian snapped as she walked over before he could speak, seemingly thoroughly displeased that Lu Yuan had kept her waiting.
Yet there was little real blame in her tone. Moreover, after taking a closer look, she could not help but exclaim, "Huh? Has your physical body gotten even stronger?"
She was a Holy Maiden, after all; Jiang Ningxian's discerning eye was naturally extraordinary. Even though she saw no shift in Lu Yuan's aura, she still saw through to the truth.
"Indeed," Lu Yuan nodded, though he did not dwell on the matter. "As a gesture of thanks, how about I accompany you on a tour of the famous mountains and great rivers?"
Given her extraordinary status, words of thanks had already been spoken many times and had little meaning left. After giving it some thought, Lu Yuan proposed taking her out for a scenic excursion. He remembered Elder Jiang telling him that when Jiang Ningxian first arrived in this world, she had traveled through many regions, but with time so tight, she had only caught fleeting glimpses of some. Now that an opportunity presented itself and the affairs of the Heavenly Court did not require his immediate attention, going for a stroll made sense.
"It's rare for you to be so thoughtful. Fine, I'll reluctantly agree."
Jiang Ningxian truly wished to see the true ancestral home of the Jiang clan—those famous mountains, great rivers, and things recorded in ancient texts. With Lu Yuan accompanying her, she was naturally delighted, but she still added, "Just don't make it like Mount Longhu."
Deep down, she still had a young woman's temperament. Her reason for saying this was that she didn't want Lu Yuan to just practice cultivation and evolution once they went out; that would be dreadfully boring, though she naturally wouldn't say that aloud.
"Naturally," Lu Yuan replied with a chuckle. He then retrieved his communicator and glanced at the message displayed on it.
It was sent by Zhu Qingyu, reporting that extraterrestrial beings intended to move against the five super cities.
He had long anticipated this, yet had no intention of intervening personally. The Heavenly Court had been established for quite some time now, and if it wished to grow into a truly mighty faction in the future, it had to face certain challenges on its own. Keeping an eye on it now was merely a safeguard.
"Let's go," Lu Yuan said, putting the matter out of his mind. He tore open the void, and the two stepped directly through.
And just as planned, this journey had no ulterior purpose; it was solely to appreciate the scenery across various mountains and rivers. Both Lu Yuan and Jiang Ningxian were at the peak of the Demi-Saint Realm, possessing immense strength, and their speed was naturally swift. In just a few days, they traversed numerous regions.
At certain spots, the two lingered for a long time, admiring breathtaking sights while observing the transformations taking place across this world. All told, the entire process was deeply relaxing for Lu Yuan, free from the constant burden of pondering complex matters as he had before.
Meanwhile, outside changes continued to unfold.
Just as the Heavenly Court had gathered, the extraterrestrial beings—their kinsmen having been slain—could not restrain themselves from moving against the five super cities. Of course, they did not intend to unleash widespread slaughter; they only wanted to exact a little interest. In their eyes, most of Earth's human race were essentially mere ants. In the past, they had refrained from striking simply because they disdained to do so. Now, however, things had changed.
They dispatched operatives to infiltrate the five super cities and stir up chaos, framing it as retribution against Lu Yuan. Following this scheme, various extraterrestrial clans mobilized, among them prominent lineages such as the Yin Sparrow Clan.
Yet everything was firmly under control.
The moment they infiltrated the five super cities, the Heavenly Court went into action.
They struck decisively. On the side of the mutant beasts, the Peacock King, the Spirit Monkey, and the Nine-Tailed Fox King took part, while on the human side, the young Celestial Master Chunyang and Monk Huikong also joined in. All of them had already attained the Saint Realm.
Upon discovering the extraterrestrial beings, they moved to execute them without the slightest hesitation. Throughout the operations, personnel were even directed to record the process and broadcast the footage across the internet.
Nowadays, extraterrestrial beings monitored the internet as well, since information spread exceptionally fast there. Consequently, within a few days, those extraterrestrial beings discovered that every single operative they had sent had perished. Videos capturing their kinsmen being slain were broadcast openly online, accompanied by a simple banner:
"Transgressing the rules and attempting to strike at ordinary people—beheaded!"
One had to know that back during the official authorities' rule, all extraterrestrial beings had already been notified that the ordinary people within the five super cities were not to be harmed, or else swift retaliation would follow. Naturally, they had never taken that warning to heart, deeming the threat laughably overambitious.
Later, due to Lu Yuan's presence and various unfolding events, they had left the matter alone. Now, when they finally decided to act, they abruptly discovered they were powerless to do so. Over a dozen Saint Realm experts from the Heavenly Court had appeared across the various super cities. The moment their operatives entered, they were discovered and struck down.
All at once, the extraterrestrial beings were completely stunned, unable to believe what was happening. In their eyes, aside from Lu Yuan, the humans of the Milky Way Star Sector posed no threat whatsoever; yet now, they had bared their fangs.
What was more, the figures who acted were all Saint Realm experts!
This news was utterly shocking. The extraterrestrial beings had never imagined this. After all, a single human, Lu Yuan, had already caused them immense headaches. Now, several more Saint Realm figures had emerged—and that was the Saint Realm! Just how long had the Milky Way Star Sector been revived?
At this moment, nearly all the major extraterrestrial clans felt a chill of realization: with these figures around, the Milky Way Star Sector might truly recast the glory of ancient times!
Chapter 291