In Lu Yuan's view, he had no fear of the projected avatars of the two Divine Sons.
Yet his more important objective this time was to break into the Immortal Realm. Under these circumstances, the crucial task was to bring all aspects of his condition to perfection, maintain that peak state continuously, and ultimately find that opportunity for breakthrough amidst a grand battle.
As thought before, Lu Yuan had prepared everything.
All that was missing now was an opponent.
Meanwhile, his earlier clash with Monk Xuan Ci had seemed brief on the surface, but he had nonetheless gleaned insights from it. The most obvious gain was a clear measure of his own prowess. Buddha Kingdom in the Palm was only a single divine ability. Yet when he unleashed it, he had employed his true methods; otherwise, he could not have defeated his opponent in such a short span. Xuan Ci, after all, was a chosen pride in the Great Saint Realm and ranked among the top three within the Bliss Star Sector.
It was precisely this battle that taught Lu Yuan what mattered even more in great contests. Having numerous trump cards did not guarantee invincibility; the true crux lay in maintaining an indomitable posture. The so-called concept of "crushing myriad techniques with absolute strength" described this exact principle.
With that in mind, Lu Yuan settled down completely into seclusion. This time, he examined every facet of his cultivation, striving to ensure not a single flaw remained.
Time trickled by, drop by drop.
In the outside world, the situation was continually shifting. Ever since the Heavenly Court contracted its forces, extraterrestrial beings had grown increasingly active. They frequented famous mountains and mighty rivers, scouring the land for the fortune they desired.
Because Earth was in the early stages of its resurgence and blessed by the great era's providence, spiritual fruits, wondrous herbs, and various ancient visualization and breathing methods abounded. It was truly a land of creation and a world of opportunity, allowing extraterrestrial beings to reap immense benefits during this period.
In other words, present-day Earth was like a land teeming with resources. While it might lack deep historical accumulation, it was an incomparable treasure trove for advancing cultivation.
Though Heavenly Court leaders and members felt indignant about this, they were powerless to intervene. They all knew that the Divine Sons of the two great clans were the primary threat that had to be addressed. If they could not resolve that crisis, nothing else would hold any meaning.
Everyone prepared for what was to come, none knowing what they would ultimately face. It seemed to involve only two Divine Sons on the surface, but judging by the steady descent of extraterrestrial beings, the situation was far more complex.
While all of the Heavenly Court made ready, beyond Earth, within the Solar System...
Beams of brilliance welled up endlessly. Powerful auras surged across this sector of space. Amidst them stood figure after figure, with travelers descending toward the world below from time to time.
The power of the Severance of Heaven and Earth was growing weaker and weaker, having long since lost the ability to bar the Great Saint Realm. Earth's revival brought forth spiritual fruits, wondrous herbs, and ancient inheritances—all of which were extraordinarily alluring even to extraterrestrial cultivators.
"More than a month has passed. Judging by the time, it should be about ready." At this moment, the Eternal Divine Son turned toward the dark depths of the cosmos, his gaze contemplative.
More than a month had passed since the Ji Clan Divine Son departed; it was indeed about time.
*Hum, hum, hum—*
Just as the Eternal Divine Son was reflecting, the void suddenly shook, and a mighty aura welled forth. A figure appeared, causing the stars to tremble as countless bolts of lightning rampaged across the void.
The Ji Clan Divine Son emerged. Standing beside the Eternal Divine Son with an impassive countenance, he looked down at Earth below.
"The preparations on my end are complete. What about yours?" he asked, a trace of eager anticipation in his eyes. He wished just as fervently to slay Lu Yuan as soon as possible. In his mind, allowing such an enemy to live even a day longer risked fostering a grave future menace, which was unacceptable under any circumstance.
"I am ready as well and can strike at any moment," the Eternal Divine Son replied. After more than a month, the preparations were indeed sufficient.
"Good."
Hearing this, the Ji Clan Divine Son said nothing more. He stepped forward, and in his hand appeared an imperial seal. Carved from an unknown material, it measured only the size of a palm yet felt astonishingly heavy. Merely holding it gave the impression that it was heavier than the stars themselves.
The Ji Clan Divine Son channeled his internal power and poured it into the artifact while piercing his skin to draw fresh blood.
"This imperial seal was left behind by the ancestors of my Ji clan. No one else can activate it—only one possessing Ji bloodline can do so."
With those words, he sat cross-legged, enveloped in a peculiar glow. The imperial seal released a brilliant beam of light that shot straight toward Earth.
Above Earth, a sea of golden runes manifested, attempting to block the incoming beam. Yet for some reason, the beam seemed to stem from the same power, encountering very little resistance. Instead, it assimilated the barrier.
"Can a passage truly be opened this way?" Seeing this, the Eternal Divine Son nodded, grasping the gist of the process. He understood that the Ji Clan Divine Son had to pour in blood because his lineage had originally migrated away from the Milky Way Star Sector.
All that remained now was to wait. The Eternal Divine Son said no more, remaining where he stood. Yet he did not stay idle either, beginning to separate a portion of his internal strength.
Even if the Ji clan possessed a method to carve out a passage, they were still dealing with the Severance of Heaven and Earth—a contingency left behind by the ancient mighty beings of the Milky Way Star Sector. Those entities must have anticipated countless variables. The time had not yet come for the true Immortal Realm to descend in full.
And so, time slipped away bit by bit.
After an unknown duration, the beam radiating from the imperial seal grew stronger and stronger. The power the Ji Clan Divine Son poured into it mounted, though having already attained the Immortal Realm, he found the expenditure easily manageable.
At the same time, the extraterrestrial beings noticed that the beam had assimilated numerous runes of the Severance of Heaven and Earth and was descending steadily toward Earth, transforming directly into a passage.
"As expected of the Ji clan, a lineage that produced Human Sovereigns and Great Emperors. Such methods are formidable indeed."
The experts of various races lingering in the outer domain were struck with astonishment at the sight. For them, breaking through the Severance of Heaven and Earth was impossible; they could only wait for time to wear away its strength. After all, the Milky Way Star Sector had once ranked among the top ten and had even shown signs of contending for the very first place across the starry sky.
Though its former glory had waned, it could not be underestimated. Of course, all of that was in the past. As long as the two Divine Sons could project their avatars and deliver their power downward to slay Lu Yuan, everything here would be dictated by foreign arrivals like them!
Chapter 343