When Lu Yuan spoke these words, his eyes were brimming with complete confidence, devoid of the slightest hesitation. Though his tone was not overbearing, it inspired total conviction in those around him.
For Zhu Qingyu and the others knew full well that whenever King Lu spoke, it was as good as done. From the very beginning of the New Era until now, it had always been so.
What of the mutated beast tide? What of the Three Immortal Islands? What of the descent of three Saint Realm experts? Hadn't the outcome ended up the same every single time?
Now, although they had felt some apprehension because Zhou Yunqiong had allied with the Ji clan, hearing Lu Yuan's words immediately put their minds at ease.
After all, in the eyes of everyone in the Heavenly Court, Lu Yuan was an invincible existence.
"Alright. Remember to keep a close watch on every move made by those extraterrestrial beings. You need not worry about the smaller races; just keep tabs on the prominent, representative clans. If anything happens, inform me immediately," Lu Yuan instructed once more. His reason for ignoring the minor races was simple: they lacked the courage to act on their own.
The Heavenly Court had already grown strong and now possessed a double-digit number of Saint Realm experts. Even if those minor clans harbored hostile thoughts, they would have to join forces with the major clans first.
Moreover, Lu Yuan intended to use those lesser races to temper the members of the Heavenly Court. Only in this manner could the younger generation steadily mature.
"Understood." Hearing his orders, Zhu Qingyu and the others promptly nodded. They never doubted King Lu's words.
Soon after, the group took their leave. Yet as she stepped away, Zhu Qingyu could not help but glance back. In her eyes, Lu Yuan and Jiang Ningxian sat opposite each other. Whether in strength or temperament, both were so exceptional, appearing so well-matched. From any perspective, they seemed made for each other.
"Fairy Jiang truly is a good match for King Lu," Ice Fairy said, walking up beside her. The relationship between the two of them had grown exceedingly close, no different from blood sisters.
Ice Fairy understood Zhu Qingyu's thoughts all too well, so she continued, "It is very hard for people like us to keep pace with King Lu." She knew Zhu Qingyu's feelings for Lu Yuan had taken root long ago.
Yet she also understood with painful clarity that the gap between him and people like them was simply too vast. Merely chasing after his silhouette was already agonizingly difficult.
Standing shoulder to shoulder with him was out of the question. By contrast, Jiang Ningxian, who hailed from beyond Earth, was different. She was a favored daughter of heaven and possessed terrifyingly formidable strength.
All along, she had stood side by side with King Lu; between the two of them lay a natural harmony that none could rival.
"I know," Zhu Qingyu replied softly. A trace of melancholy dimmed her eyes, but it was quickly replaced by resolve. "Still, I will work harder."
Without waiting for Ice Fairy's response, she walked off on her own.
Ice Fairy let out a quiet sigh. She had privately advised her friend many times, to no avail. The trouble was that in matters like this, no outsider could truly help.
Thus, she could only follow behind.
Not far away, Jiang Ningxian watched Zhu Qingyu's receding figure, lost in thought.
Opposite her, Lu Yuan spoke again: "Brother Jiang hasn't truly gone into seclusion, has he?" Having not seen him throughout this period, Lu Yuan could not help feeling a little helpless when recalling what had happened earlier.
"He was thoroughly demoralized and swore he would surpass you. But it's nothing; just let him be." Snapping out of her reverie, Jiang Ningxian shook her head. As his elder sister, she naturally understood her brother's state of mind and had never taken it to heart.
From there, the two began discussing how to handle the current situation.
The major extraterrestrial clans had already begun occupying the truly renowned mountains and great rivers, intending to seize the fortunes the moment the secret realms within opened. That was certain to happen. In the meantime, however, the Heavenly Court could not simply sit by and do nothing.
As time went on, this dynamic would become increasingly pronounced. The disparity between both sides had already been significant to begin with, so in the end, Lu Yuan decided that the Heavenly Court should also mobilize to seek out opportunities and bolster its own strength.
He himself, however, would not take part. Firstly, there was no need; secondly, it was an opportunity to train his subordinates.
Jiang Ningxian supported his decision and stated that the Jiang clan would also do their utmost to assist.
Over the period that followed, the extraterrestrial beings allied with one another and began staking claims on famous mountains and rivers. Virtually every peak that possessed any renown was targeted.
During this time, the Heavenly Court's forces also sprang into action. At first, they set their sights on less renowned ranges.
The reason was simple: greater renown signified greater danger. While everyone knew vast fortunes lay within, entering without sufficient strength meant not only failing to obtain any opportunities, but potentially paying with one's life.
Therefore, the more cautious they were, the better.
Even so, this approach carried a problem of its own: they frequently ran into extraterrestrial beings.
When both sides set their sights on the same location, clashes were inevitable. The Heavenly Court showed no fear and took action without hesitation.
Fortunes and opportunities belonged to the capable, and since neither side was willing to back down, fighting was the only answer. Lu Yuan had given his explicit approval for this as well.
Thus, over the course of half a month, no fewer than a hundred battles erupted. Both the Heavenly Court and the extraterrestrial beings suffered casualties, which was an unavoidable consequence.
Yet precisely because of this, the Heavenly Court's members underwent rigorous tempering. Cultivating power was one thing, but accumulating battlefield experience was equally vital.
Otherwise, if war truly broke out in the future, what would they rely on?
Meanwhile, throughout this process, the Heavenly Court's overall power steadily climbed.
More and more members saw their strength increase, including the number of Saint Realm experts.
However, these developments began to raise alarms among the extraterrestrial beings.
They recognized that if things continued like this, trouble would arise sooner or later. Once the Heavenly Court reached its full maturity, it would become impossible to suppress. Consequently, several factions began conferring in secret.
A few extraterrestrial Saints deliberately concealed themselves, launching sudden ambushes whenever they encountered Heavenly Court members.
Now, those descending from outer space were growing in number and strength. They believed that even if they incurred Lu Yuan's wrath, it would not matter; at worst, another battle would decide the matter.
Yet to everyone's surprise, their ambush tactics yielded little effect.
Behind the Heavenly Court members out exploring and training, there were Saint Realm experts keeping watch—the mutated beast kings.
During this period, Lu Yuan had conferred titles upon another batch of Beast Kings, appointing them as guardian divine beasts of the Heavenly Court to provide escort and protection. After all, one could never be too cautious against treacherous minds.
This precaution proved entirely justified. It once again caught the extraterrestrial beings off guard, leaving them deeply frustrated.
After all, from the moment they first descended until now, Lu Yuan had constantly disrupted their plans. He had already become a grave menace.
Until this day.
The heavens shuddered.
Powerful auras descended from the cosmos, their trajectory aimed straight for Mount Tai.
They were few in number—merely three to five individuals—yet every single one possessed terrifying might. Each was enveloped in a divine halo, noble and domineering.
They were none other than the Eternal Clan!
Chapter 295