Fortunately, the Heavenly Court had grown strong.
Having Saint Realm experts and lacking them were entirely different matters. Beyond this realm, cultivators were considered the core backbone of any force, even among the top hundred star sectors.
Of course, the true reason Earth had reached this stage lay in the fact that their predecessors had sealed the world for far too long. This sudden surge was an inevitable explosion of accumulated potential. After all, the foundation of the Milky Way Star Sector had once been exceptionally formidable.
Without another word, Lu Yuan cast a final glance at Ancient Mount Shu below and directly tore through the void.
Without hesitation, the two departed the restricted area. Sometime later, they arrived at Mount Tai.
"Thank you for keeping me company these past few days," Jiang Ningxian said, looking at him with a sweet smile. "As for the Extraterrestrial Demons, if any news comes from my clan, I'll inform you immediately." It was a grave matter, and she knew full well they needed to get to the bottom of it.
"All right, I'll be counting on you then," Lu Yuan replied without standing on ceremony. A true arch-nemesis, a Great Tribulation that even ancient sages held with utmost gravity—even if it had yet to arrive, one had to prepare in advance. Just as before, he had constantly laid out plans against the invasion of extraterrestrial beings.
Furthermore, Lu Yuan knew that the so-called Extraterrestrial Demons were bound to be far more terrifying and troublesome than extraterrestrial beings; he had to take action.
"Don't mention it." Jiang Ningxian shook her head and turned to head back. But soon, a powerful aura surged forth, radiating a majesty as brilliant as the blazing sun.
"Huh?" Jiang Ningxian let out a soft exclamation and looked ahead. Lu Yuan's attention was drawn to this power as well, his brow furrowing slightly.
Before long, a figure walked over from up ahead—it was Jiang Haokong, having emerged from secluded cultivation. At this moment, though his realm remained unchanged, the aura emanating from him was far stronger than before. In particular, a faint luster shimmered all over him—a formidable power radiating from his very physique.
"You've cultivated the Great Sun Sacred Body Art to the third stage?" Jiang Ningxian blurted out upon seeing her brother.
The Great Sun Sacred Body Art she mentioned was a supreme divine ability of the Jiang clan. Cultivating this method granted immense enhancements to both physique and soul.
Naturally, mastering such a formidable art was exceedingly difficult. Even someone like Jiang Haokong had previously only reached the second stage, yet that alone had made his combat strength terrifying.
Now, following his seclusion, his realm had not risen, but his strength had undergone a massive transformation. Brimming with renewed confidence, he had eagerly exited seclusion the moment he sensed Lu Yuan's return.
Ignoring his sister's remark, Jiang Haokong looked straight at Lu Yuan and said bluntly, "Come, let us proceed with our duel." Right now, he wanted nothing more than to see if his current self could fight Lu Yuan all out.
As the Divine Son of his clan, Jiang Haokong naturally refused to believe he was inferior to anyone else.
Yet the moment those words were uttered, before Lu Yuan could even respond, Jiang Ningxian shook her head beside him and could not help saying, "You've grown stronger, but so have others. Take a closer look before deciding whether you truly want to fight."
She was somewhat surprised that her younger brother had mastered the clan's divine ability to this stage so quickly. If before he might have stood a chance of winning against Lu Yuan, she no longer thought so.
She had seen with her own eyes the tremendous benefits Lu Yuan had obtained at Mount Longhu. His physique, in particular, had undergone a complete metamorphosis.
Her brother was still no match for him.
Sure enough, hearing his sister's words, Jiang Haokong was momentarily startled before carefully examining Lu Yuan's state.
Lu Yuan did not continue concealing it either, gently stirring the blood qi within his body. It was not out of a desire to show off, but because such a battle served no purpose and was best avoided.
At that very moment, Jiang Haokong clearly sensed a terrifyingly vast power surging within Lu Yuan, brought forth by that peerless physique. He immediately determined that if they fought, he would likely be thoroughly suppressed in every aspect.
"You... you..." Jiang Haokong was utterly stunned, at a loss for words. He glanced at his sister, then finally blurted out, "I... I'm going back into seclusion!"
Leaving no time for Lu Yuan or Jiang Ningxian to react, he spun around and marched off.
However, his departure lacked the boundless confidence he had displayed when he first appeared; he had clearly taken a heavy blow.
He was, after all, a Divine Son, possessing supreme excellence in every regard. Yet encountering someone who suppressed him at every turn left him utterly helpless.
Seeing this, Lu Yuan did not know what to say, but Jiang Ningxian consoled him, "Don't worry about him. He used to look down on everyone. Experiencing a bit of setback won't hurt him. Just let him go." She naturally understood her brother inside and out.
After chatting for a few more moments, the two parted ways. Lu Yuan did not head straight to his residence, but went instead to Elder Ji and Elder Yun to assess the current situation.
The success of their previous plan had served as an effective deterrent against extraterrestrial beings with ill intentions, bringing a widespread calm across the region.
Under these circumstances, both Awakened and ordinary citizens had truly begun to believe that the Heavenly Court possessed the capability to protect them.
Everything seemed to be heading in a favorable direction.
Of course, Elder Ji and Elder Yun had not grown complacent. Recently, their observations beyond Earth revealed that more and more extraterrestrial beings were descending. Although their exact identities remained obscured, both elders knew full well that the situation ahead would only grow more severe.
"It's good that you understand this," Lu Yuan said. "All in all, after this incident, unless absolutely necessary, there is no need to pay mind to those extraterrestrial beings. Following this setback, they should keep quiet for a while."
Lu Yuan knew that even if powerful figures descended, they would not make any major moves in the short term. Therefore, the most crucial objective right now was to continue accumulating strength. After giving a few more instructions, he took his leave.
Meanwhile, beyond Earth, figures began emerging one after another—members of prominent extraterrestrial clans led by the Ji clan.
Looking down upon Earth, an air of arrogance lingered in their eyes. At this moment, everyone sensed that the power of the Severance of Heaven and Earth had waned considerably compared to before. The time for their descent had finally come.
Among them, Zhou Yunqiong stood prominently, staring at the earth below. Lu Yuan's voice echoed in her mind, her eyes blazing with murderous intent.
The feud between them was long overdue for a reckoning.
Chapter 293