The Heavenly Court's counterattack exceeded everyone's expectations.
Without Lu Yuan lifting a finger, some among his subordinates had directly reached the Saint Realm, possessing peerless strength.
They had virtually nipped the extraterrestrial beings' schemes in the bud. Nearly everyone dispatched had been slain, and what infuriated the outsiders even more was that the defenders had actually posted the video recordings directly online, completely humiliating them. Far from reclaiming their lost prestige, they had suffered heavy casualties once again.
The extraterrestrial beings were enraged to the utmost, yet they knew that under the circumstances, there was nothing they could do.
The reason was simple: currently, besides Lu Yuan, other Saint Realm experts existed in the Milky Way Star Sector, and judging by their numbers, they had reached double digits.
This force could no longer be ignored, especially since they knew very well that the humans of this world cultivated and evolved far faster. Given time, formidable figures would inevitably emerge. The extraterrestrials had continually tried to prevent this from happening, which was why they sought out and plundered opportunities across the world, great and small alike. On the one hand, it bolstered their own strength; on the other, it curbed the evolution of this world's people—truly killing two birds with one stone.
Yet due to Lu Yuan's presence, their plans had progressed at a snail's pace. And now, on top of that, Earth's people were beginning to display their own might.
The extraterrestrial clans felt that attempting to suppress this world was virtually impossible. In the present era, the Milky Way Star Sector had fallen into decline, yet every major clan remembered its past glory. They could foresee that in this era, the Milky Way Star Sector truly might restore its former splendor.
And when they considered the Heavenly Court established by Lu Yuan, would it follow the same path? If so, wouldn't that mean that sooner or later, they would be suppressed? More importantly, wouldn't the vast majority of opportunities and fortunes be seized by Earth's human race?
Practically all the major clans across the star sectors shared this thought, knowing that such a development would introduce tremendous variables in the future.
Originally, some had planned to leverage the various opportunities from Earth's early revival to empower themselves. Now, however, that appeared exceedingly difficult, leaving them with the conviction that Earth's humans had to be suppressed at all costs.
Yet in the end, they took no action. The reason was equally simple: for now, they lacked the strength. The various star sectors were, after all, simply too far away. On top of that, most of the Saints who had descended previously had already been slaughtered by Lu Yuan. The problem now was that when the major extraterrestrial clans tallied their numbers, even if they banded together, their overall strength fell somewhat short of the Heavenly Court.
Furthermore, throughout this entire ordeal, Lu Yuan—the strongest among them—had not merely refrained from fighting; he had not even shown his face.
Everyone knew he was the most troublesome adversary, yet without him even lifting a hand, they were already pushed beyond their limits. And so, after careful deliberation, they ultimately endured in silence. There truly was no other way.
Continuing to strike would only bring further losses. Angering Lu Yuan would be even more terrifying. Their only choice was to wait until the powerhouses of their respective clans descended before considering their next move.
Fortunately, the power of the Severance of Heaven and Earth was steadily waning. That day was not far off. Furthermore, they had received word that a new wave of individuals would descend before long, and among them would be members of the top ten clans—the Eternal Clan, the Ji clan, and others who already harbored immense enmity toward Lu Yuan.
They could only wait. If something happened to Lu Yuan then and he was eliminated by those two clans, that would be their chance. For now, forbearance was their only option.
Immediately, the clans resolved not to react in any way to this incident, choosing silence and simply swallowing yet another bitter defeat.
In truth, among the upper echelons of the Heavenly Court, Elder Ji, Elder Yun, and even Zhu Qingyu and the others also breathed a slight sigh of relief upon sensing that the extraterrestrial beings made no further moves. Though they did not fear a major war, conflict inevitably brought death. At present, the Heavenly Court could not yet withstand heavy casualties.
Fortunately, both their plans and objectives had been achieved. Promptly, they relayed the news to Lu Yuan. After all, this was the Heavenly Court's very first victory won without his direct backing.
***
Meanwhile, Lu Yuan and Jiang Ningxian had arrived in the region of Ancient Mount Shu.
Over this period, they had traversed many places and taken in many sights. On an Earth in the midst of revival, the scenery across the famous mountains and mighty rivers was magnificent beyond words. Even Jiang Ningxian had marveled at the sights, unable to resist lingering in certain spots.
Upon arriving at Ancient Mount Shu, a look of curiosity appeared on her face, and she could not help but remark, "According to the ancient records of my clan, there truly was a legacy in Mount Shu during a certain era—those who devoted themselves to cultivating the sword, known as sword heroes. What a pity that across the long ages, only fragments of words remain."
Gazing down at the mountain ranges below, Jiang Ningxian could not help but sigh with emotion. Especially upon spotting the ninety-nine sword steles, she let out a quiet sigh. An entire legacy, eroded away like this. Were it not for the revival of heaven and earth, and were it not for surviving records, who would even know it had existed?
"Though worn away by time, the heritage endures," Lu Yuan replied, taking up Jiang Ningxian's words. "Humanity's greatest quality does not lie in innate strength, but in passing the torch from one generation to the next. When later generations inherit the will of their predecessors, they will ultimately forge an even wider path. Back then, when the ancient sages sealed this world, they wanted to preserve the spark of life. They did not know what the future would hold, but one thing is certain: there will always be descendants to inherit their legacy."
He thought of Guangchengzi, and he thought of what he had witnessed in Shennongjia. Those ancient sages had fought against formidable enemies without ever giving up. Looking upon the scene before him now, he felt a surge of emotion.
"Passing the torch and inheriting the will of predecessors?" Jiang Ningxian murmured, slightly taken aback. Then she gave a solemn nod, finding deep truth in his words.
Why had the Jiang clan departed the Milky Way Star Sector? It had not been to flee, but to wage war. Was that, too, not an inheritance of their forebears' will?
After a moment's contemplation, she spoke again. "All right, I've seen enough of the sights. It's about time we head back."
Jiang Ningxian knew well that Earth was currently in a very special phase. Lu Yuan, having established the Heavenly Court, was bound to prepare every possible measure to protect the living beings of this world; he could not simply accompany her on sightseeing indefinitely. The two of them had been traveling for quite a few days, and it truly was time to return. Moreover, she could clearly sense that the power of the Severance of Heaven and Earth was still slipping away.
Besides, there would be plenty of time in the future; there was no need to rush now. Perhaps after this, the two of them could even journey into the cosmos and cross the star sectors together.
"All right," Lu Yuan agreed. He had been thinking the same thing after reading the message sent earlier by Zhu Qingyu and the others. He knew that the Heavenly Court's operation this time had been a resounding success, yet he also understood that while the extraterrestrial beings might endure for a moment, they would not endure forever.
The true test had yet to begin.
Chapter 292