The mirror was a treasure, and by all appearances, an extraordinary one.
Yet it was not any kind of weapon, seemingly devoid of immense destructive might. Even so, the moment it appeared, Lu Yuan could distinctly sense a profound, esoteric power contained within it.
Right then, Zhou Yunqiong did not hesitate. Piercing her fingertip, she let a drop of fresh blood fall onto it.
*Buzz, buzz, buzz—*
In the very next instant, myriad beams of divine radiance erupted from the entire mirror, all converging into a single point.
At the same time, an indescribably terrifying power suddenly surged forth, spreading outward and engulfing the entire region in mere moments.
Beneath its overwhelming aura, even the surrounding stars grew dim.
"You forced me to play my final hand. I am only acting in self-preservation. Whatever happens next is what you brought upon yourself."
Sensing that power, Zhou Yunqiong felt the tight knot in her chest loosen slightly. Only she knew that this had been bestowed by the backer behind her—a prominent figure of the Ji clan—to save her life in a moment of crisis.
Furthermore, Ji Hongyu had told her back then that once this ancient mirror was activated, few in the entire universe would dare lay a hand on her.
In other words, its efficacy surpassed even that of a Death Immunity Talisman. Therefore, Zhou Yunqiong believed that as long as she activated it, no matter how strong Lu Yuan was, he would be powerless to do anything to her. Once that great figure made a move, Lu Yuan might even find himself in mortal peril.
She had originally thought she would not survive Lu Yuan's hands. Yet who could have guessed that he would actually grant her a chance?
And he would ultimately come to regret granting it.
However, looking upon the radiant light spilling from the ancient mirror, Lu Yuan's expression did not shift in the slightest. He merely gazed ahead in calm silence.
There, as time slipped by, boundless light coalesced until it formed a human silhouette.
The figure was somewhat indistinct, clad in a voluminous robe.
Even though his facial features could not be discerned, he exuded an extraordinarily terrifying sense of oppression, as if merely standing there was enough to awe all living beings into submission. This person was like a born sovereign, an incarnation of imperious majesty and domineering might.
More importantly, this was only a shadow, not a true body, yet it still made the surrounding stars lose their luster.
At this moment, anyone could see that this was a truly terrifying, supreme powerhouse.
"That's... that's the Ji Clan Divine Son!"
"That's right! I caught a glimpse of him from afar years ago—that exact bearing!"
"Hasn't the Ji Clan Divine Son already reached the Immortal Realm? How could he descend to the Milky Way Star Sector?"
"Need you even ask? It must be a projection manifested through reflection! He's stepping forward to back that woman of the Ji clan. Now Lu Yuan is in serious trouble."
At this moment, the surviving Great Saints and extraterrestrial beings drifting in the starry expanse were initially startled when they saw the silhouette, but soon recognized him. They knew that this presence represented none other than the Divine Son of the Ji clan.
He was the most powerful figure among the younger generation of the entire Ji clan. Certain Great Saints were well aware that the Ji Clan Divine Son was vastly different from the divine sons of other great clans.
Because he had embarked on cultivation at an early age, he had risen to fame equally early. Today, his status was on par with the Domain Lords of certain star sectors—the paramount beings of entire star sectors. From this alone, one could see just how formidable the Ji Clan Divine Son truly was.
Naturally, Lu Yuan knew nothing of this background. Yet judging by the words and reactions of those around him, he now grasped the figure's identity.
Even so, he remained completely unfazed.
To him, it did not matter who stood in his path; he simply did not care.
"Lu Yuan?" the Ji Clan Divine Son spoke.
His voice was profoundly majestic, as though heaven itself were uttering the words.
Though he had spoken only a single name, it carried an immense weight of oppression. Before Lu Yuan could reply, he spoke once more. "Let everything today end here. I shall not pursue past matters any further."
The Ji Clan Divine Son's voice resonated downward. The moment he appeared, he had already deduced roughly what had transpired.
Ji Hongyu was nowhere to be seen, and sensing the aura emanating from Lu Yuan, he understood that the sequence prodigy had likely fallen by the man's hand.
Yet he seemed entirely unbothered by this, merely looking at Lu Yuan. His tone was soft, but perhaps owing to his prolonged reign in high station, it carried an unmistakable tone of command.
"You choose not to pursue those matters only because you cannot do so right now," Lu Yuan replied. "Even if your true self possesses incomparable might, what stands here today is nothing more than a projection. And for a mere projection to think it can make me yield—isn't that a little too simplistic?"
What Lu Yuan could tolerate least was this haughty, commanding demeanor.
The Eternal Clan had been like this, and now this Divine Son of the Ji clan was the same. In his eyes, though the two might differ drastically in strength, they were ultimately birds of a feather.
He had thought Zhou Yunqiong might produce some astonishing trump card, but as it turned out, he had overestimated her.
Without the slightest hesitation after speaking, Lu Yuan took a step forward.
*Boom!*
Golden qi and blood surged in torrents, carrying a wildly violent aura.
"Halt!"
In the next moment, the Ji Clan Divine Son's form blazed with even greater brilliance, resembling a true deity. Looking at Lu Yuan, a hint of anger surfaced in his eyes, though he kept it restrained as he spoke evenly:
"If you stop now, the past can still be forgiven. But if you persist down this path, I can assure you that no one will be able to save you."
He was, after all, one of the foremost chosen prides of an entire clan—indeed, of the entire starry expanse. Even as a projection, his domineering arrogance remained intact.
Yet Lu Yuan was even more domineering than he. Paying no heed whatsoever, the qi and blood surging from Lu Yuan's body erupted with even greater intensity.
*Rumble!*
In the next instant, he appeared directly in front of Zhou Yunqiong, his fist already descending.
Thoroughly enraged, the Ji Clan Divine Son struck out immediately.
*Thud!*
An ethereal shadow and a living body collided head-on, releasing a deafening roar like two stars smashing into one another.
Under the impact of that cataclysmic force, the surrounding asteroids fractured and shattered. Not far away, the Great Saint beings turned deathly pale.
They knew full well how formidable the Ji Clan Divine Son was. Yet what stunned them beyond belief was that Lu Yuan—who had only just broken through to the Great Saint Realm—was able to clash directly with him.
No wonder eighteen Great Saints had been suppressed by him alone! No wonder a sequence prodigy of the Ji clan had died directly at his hands!
And now, another great figure had appeared, and a fierce battle had erupted between them. What would the outcome be?
Chapter 310