A destination for souls after death.
If, during the old era, people had merely regarded it as myth and legend, the present was entirely different. Many now believed that the so-called Heavenly Court and Netherworld truly existed.
Of course, this was only true for some. Yet the more powerful a person became, and the more they witnessed and learned of ancient secrets, the more they felt that this world—the entire universe—was far less simple than they had imagined.
Even so, while the Heavenly Court was understandable, the Netherworld was not a place that ought to exist. The reason was quite simple: the Heavenly Court had been established by a cohort of powerful living beings. There was nothing objectionable about that, and many could accept it. But Fengdu and the Netherworld were a different matter altogether.
Even now, almost everyone knew that when a being died, they were truly dead; nothing would remain. How could there be a so-called destination, let alone undergoing the Six Paths of Reincarnation to start anew?
It was too shocking, too difficult to conceive.
Even the Jiang siblings felt this way. Coming from a clan ranked among the top ten star sectors, they, too, believed that once someone died, everything vanished—how could one ever begin again?
Yet now, counting the previous occasion, this was already the second time Jiang Ningxian had heard of the Netherworld. Especially since she had seen it with her own eyes the first time, doubts couldn't help but stir in her heart.
Did a resting place after death truly exist?
"Lu Yuan, what do you think?" Unable to be certain, she could only ask once more, finding it genuinely hard to accept.
"I'm not sure either," Lu Yuan replied. "Even if it isn't, it must have a great deal to do with the Netherworld." If the first time had merely been a coincidence, then what about the second? It was hard to say. But one thing was certain: those ruins had undoubtedly been built by the ancient sages. Naming it Fengdu surely had a reason behind it.
"There are simply too many secrets from the ancient era," Jiang Haokong chimed in with a solemn expression. He had initially thought that a newly revived Earth wouldn't hold anything particularly special. But only after descending here did he discover that it truly lived up to its legacy as the place where the ancient Heavenly Court had once been founded, having produced Human Sovereigns and Heavenly Emperors. There were many matters he could not fathom at all. It couldn't be helped; the Jiang clan had only chosen to traverse the cosmos and venture to other sectors after the ancient era had passed.
"Our business here is finished. Let us head back first," Lu Yuan said. "The power of the Severance of Heaven and Earth is growing weaker and weaker. I suspect it won't be long before more people enter the Milky Way Star Sector or even descend upon Earth." Having obtained another of the Nine Cauldrons as well as the Ancient Heavenly Emperor Token, Lu Yuan wished to refine them as soon as possible. That way, he could swiftly bolster his own strength and that of the Heavenly Court to prepare for the upheavals ahead.
"All right." Jiang Ningxian naturally had no objection. At once, without further words, the group set off in one direction.
Although determining direction had been impossible down below, leaving was relatively simpler. Before long, they had completely left the Shennongjia area.
Gazing into the near distance, the Jiang siblings bowed slightly once more without hesitation. Even though they hadn't discovered anything here, this place was deeply tied to their ancestor, after all. It was only right to pay their respects before departing.
Lu Yuan, on the other hand, gazed thoughtfully toward the Shennong Altar.
Yet, unbeknownst to them, after their departure, wisps of black mist that did not belong to this world actually began spreading from the abyss. Though faint, they swiftly corroded several plants, yet seemed wary of something and sank back into the depths.
Mount Tai, the Trial Academy.
When Lu Yuan and his companions returned, the two Beast Kings ascended Jade Emperor Peak. The Jiang siblings chose to depart first, clearly preparing to contact their clansmen and relay what had transpired.
As for Lu Yuan, he met with the higher-ups of the Heavenly Court to learn about the current situation across the starry skies.
Those extraterrestrial beings had not directly entered the Solar System for the time being. Even within the expanse of the Milky Way Star Sector, their numbers were scarce.
Everyone knew that Lu Yuan's current strength was simply too formidable. To fight him and cleanly suppress him, only a legendary existence of the Immortal Realm could possibly suffice.
Thus, Earth remained relatively tranquil for now. The beings who had already descended were all exceedingly well-behaved. At most, they made a few moves in competing for the fortuitous opportunities in famous mountains and great rivers. Even then, they dared not cause a major stir. There was no alternative; currently, none of those extraterrestrial entities dared to provoke Lu Yuan, terrified of inviting calamity upon themselves.
Everything remained within his grasp.
Upon receiving this news, Lu Yuan felt somewhat relieved. He reflected that the situation in this life was indeed completely different from his previous life. Because of the Heavenly Court's emergence and the rise in his own strength, the extraterrestrial beings could no longer sow chaos. The tragedy of his past life, where countless humans had been enslaved, would not repeat itself.
After instructing the higher-ups to keep monitoring movements, Lu Yuan said nothing more. Returning to his quarters and meditating for a brief moment to regulate his breath, he retrieved the cauldron he had obtained from the bottom of the abyss.
As a round cauldron with three legs and two ears, it was easy to narrow down among the Nine Cauldrons. Cauldrons broadly came in two different forms: square and round. Three legs and two ears meant round; four legs and two ears meant square. At this moment, Lu Yuan opened his Martial Dao Heavenly Eye. Peering past the scars of blades, spears, swords, and halberds, as well as the bloodstains, he observed the patterns engraved upon the cauldron's body. Finally, he confirmed which cauldron it was: the Yangzhou Cauldron!
This was the sixth of the Nine Cauldrons he had acquired, well past half, leaving only three. As for the other Beast Kings, no new reports had come from them.
He knew very well that the further along he went, the harder the Nine Cauldrons would be to find. More importantly, Lu Yuan could not even be certain whether the remaining cauldrons were on Earth.
Setting those thoughts aside, he calmed his mind and placed the Yangzhou Cauldron before him. He then cut open his palm, preparing once more to refine it.
The reason he chose to refine the cauldron first was that he had done it multiple times already and didn't have to worry about any unexpected mishaps. The Ancient Heavenly Emperor Token, on the other hand, was different; it required utmost caution. Who knew what complications might arise during the refining process? Given Lu Yuan's prudent nature, he would never act recklessly.
Soon, he produced the Daluo sword core and sliced his palm.
Instantly, drops of fresh blood surged directly onto the Yangzhou Cauldron. From above it, a powerful aura surged forth at that exact moment.
The entire room was filled with an inscrutable, wondrous might. And that power was the legendary power of providential fortune. The Nine Cauldrons suppressed a nation; the providential fortune they harbored was undeniably terrifying. Now, through the refining process, it would be bestowed upon the Investiture Decree. At the same time, anyone whose true name was written upon the decree would reap benefits.
Yet Lu Yuan, whose true name was the very first upon the Investiture Decree, did not sense any change at this moment.
Chapter 330