Lu Yuan was well aware that the influence of the Severance of Heaven and Earth extended far beyond Earth, enveloping the entire Milky Way Star Sector within its scope. Even as its power gradually waned, it still placed restrictions on any beings at the Immortal level.
The reason was simple: the ancient sages of that bygone era had all understood that anyone below the Immortal level had limited strength and could not pose catastrophic harm to this realm. Above that threshold, however, the situation was entirely different.
That was why, from the very beginning until now, the strongest entities to appear beyond Earth were essentially limited to the Great Saint Realm.
Otherwise, the Ranked Immortals would not have chosen merely to project their power down; they would have descended in person.
They had done so precisely because they could not make the crossing.
As for why Lu Yuan believed he had to break through to the Great Saint Realm before he could truly deter every extraterrestrial being and stand invincible beneath the starry sky, the logic was just as straightforward: while he considered himself invincible against anyone in the same realm, he had never once underestimated his foes. Whether it was the Eternal Clan or the Ji clan, both were exceedingly powerful. Their foundations were unimaginably deep, and their methods seemed boundless. To be safe, only upon reaching the Great Saint Realm could he truly suppress every extraterrestrial being with absolute authority.
Lu Yuan had pride, but he was not arrogant. This was the hallmark of the truly strong: to hold absolute confidence, yet still face the enemy with all one's might.
With that, Lu Yuan ceased his pondering. Taking a deep breath, he slowly closed his eyes. What he needed to do now was continuously stabilize his current condition, ensuring he remained at his absolute peak at every moment. After all, before long, his goal was not only to deter all the extraterrestrial beings, but also to break through to the Great Saint Realm. Naturally, not a single detail could be overlooked.
Time slipped quietly by, and the situation in the outside world grew increasingly grim. Although this was not the first time the extraterrestrial beings had allied themselves, the present circumstances were vastly different from before. Two top-tier powers of the starry sky had joined hands, accompanied by numerous major clans.
Upon learning this news, nearly all the Heavenly Court's members and leadership grew tense. While strictly controlling the five super cities, they also began gathering their strength.
The Peacock King, the Nine-Tailed Fox King, the Golden-Winged Great Peng, the Spirit Monkey, and the other beast kings were basically all recalled to Mount Tai. These Beast Kings had virtually all attained the Saint Realm and possessed formidable prowess, making them the Heavenly Court's paramount combat forces at this moment. There was no other choice; the enemies they faced this time were stronger than any before, so they had to mobilize their utmost might.
Both the younger generation, represented by Zhu Qingyu, and the senior leadership, including Elder Ji, shared the same conviction: no matter what those extraterrestrial beings intended to do, one thing was certain—they could not be allowed to pose the slightest threat to King Lu.
By this point, ordinary citizens and Awakened alike basically revered Lu Yuan as the guardian deity of this world. As long as he stood, there would always be a turning point, and they would never have to fear the complete conquest of Earth by extraterrestrial beings.
Thus, in the hearts of the Heavenly Court's members, even if everyone else perished, as long as King Lu lived, humanity could not be considered destroyed.
This was the trust forged by Lu Yuan repeatedly safeguarding humanity since the dawn of the New Era. Now, they rose once more. Everyone, including the Beast Kings, returned to Mount Tai with a single purpose: to stand alongside Lu Yuan and confront the impending siege.
Meanwhile, on the other side, not far from Mount Tai, the foremost of the Five Great Mountains, a massive host of beings had already gathered across the region. Nearly all hailed from beyond the stars, each possessing formidable strength.
"With the assistance of the Ji clan this time, our confidence in dealing with that human, Lu Yuan, is that much greater," a man spoke atop a mountain peak, where several figures sat gathered.
He wore white robes, his hands clasped behind his back. Behind his head hovered a divine halo, and his body exuded an extraordinarily potent, intimidating aura.
This man was named Yu Xiong, from the Eternal Clan. Among the clan's top ten sequence prodigies, he ranked fifth—an impressively high standing. His own cultivation had reached the peak of the Demi-Saint Realm; should he wish, he could step directly into the Great Saint Realm at any time.
In truth, as sequence Celestial Clans, each race shared a similar pattern: the higher one's ranking, the greater their strength and talent. Some might appear not to possess exceptionally high realms, yet whenever they chose, they could break through at a moment's notice. Naturally, chosen prides were distinct from ordinary people.
Beside Yu Xiong stood none other than Zhou Yunqiong. Behind her were several members of the Ji clan; while not sequence prodigies, their strength was by no means negligible.
None of them spoke, however, deferring entirely to Zhou Yunqiong. After all, she was favored by that prominent figure, making her the representative of this operation.
Upon hearing Yu Xiong's words, a smile formed on Zhou Yunqiong's face, and she answered promptly, "Naturally. This time, two super factions of the starry sky have joined hands. What means could Lu Yuan possibly have to withstand us?"
Her expression cooled slightly as she continued, "Furthermore, we have numerous experts under our command. Even if we cannot deal with Lu Yuan immediately, there is no need to spare the people around him."
Zhou Yunqiong knew Lu Yuan was exceptionally strong. Even with both the Ji clan and the Eternal Clan present, eradicating him would prove extremely difficult. But not everyone on Earth or within the so-called Heavenly Court was that powerful. She could begin by striking there.
Despicable though such a method was, what did it matter? To claim her revenge, Zhou Yunqiong was ready to disregard everything.
Besides, she had already joined the Ji clan and interacted with entities like the Eternal Clan. In her heart, the so-called Milky Way Star Sector and the humans of this world had long ceased to be her kind.
"Good. Hearing those words from Fairy Zhou puts my mind at ease." A smile immediately surfaced on Yu Xiong's face.
He knew that before their clan's supreme experts arrived, relying solely on themselves would not suffice to defeat Lu Yuan. After all, even Yu Heng and the others had all died, and Lu Yuan had attained the Demi-Saint Realm, likely possessing many hidden methods.
Yu Xiong had no desire to follow in the footsteps of those who fell before him. Hence, he had capitalized on the various clans' hatred toward Lu Yuan, which, combined with the Eternal Clan's renown, had enabled them to unite a vast force. He simply did not believe their target could emerge unscathed under such circumstances.
"Time is pressing; we must act swiftly. I hear the Heavenly Court has pulled back its strength and recalled anyone of notable ability to Mount Tai. This is our chance to catch them all in one fell swoop," Zhou Yunqiong said, her gaze turning sharp. At this moment, she wanted nothing more than immediate vengeance.
Everything else could be set aside for now.
As for the Heavenly Court, it had now become the extraterrestrial beings' collective designation for Earth—or more precisely, for Huaxia. Many were well aware that in ancient times, the Heavenly Court had indeed arisen from the Milky Way Star Sector.
Of course, whether this new establishment founded by Lu Yuan could recapture its ancient glory remained unknown. But at the very least, in the eyes of the Eternal Clan and the Ji clan, its rise would never be permitted!
Chapter 298