The Eternal Clan and the Ji clan were among the most formidable lineages in this universe.
They ruled vast star domains, possessing terrifying foundations and strength. Across the starry sky, countless beings attached themselves to these two clans, and none dared cross them. Indeed, wherever members of either clan traveled, they were treated with utmost reverence.
They were simply too powerful. Barring the other factions ranked within the top ten, they virtually dominated the entire cosmos.
Whenever their clansmen ventured elsewhere, they consistently carried themselves with supreme arrogance, and no one had ever dared object.
Yet now, Lu Yuan had merely struck a single blow and terrified everyone present. The members of both great clans had been utterly powerless to resist. More importantly, from beginning to end, they had been forced to endure his overwhelming might. Ranked among the top ten across the cosmos, they could do nothing but watch helplessly.
To lose every shred of dignity and face before so many onlookers was unprecedented. Even the phantoms of their Divine Sons had been blasted apart, leaving them no choice but to bear it in silence. Two great clans had been suppressed by a single man; stunned, they did not even know what to say.
Yet precisely because of this, they felt even more strongly that Lu Yuan could never be allowed to live. There was no telling what terrifying heights he might reach in the future; before he attained such power, he had to be eliminated in advance. Fortunately, both Divine Sons had taken note, and the decisive battle would still proceed three days from now.
Without lingering to ponder further, the members of both clans chose to depart immediately. Who knew when Lu Yuan might change his mind?
Below, atop Mount Tai, Lu Yuan descended. He looked as impassive as ever, revealing no emotion. Even though he had just intervened directly to shatter the phantoms of two Divine Sons and cowed the clansmen of two paramount lineages single-handedly, it seemed of little consequence to him.
"All right, everyone return. Nothing else will happen for now," Lu Yuan said with a faint smile, shaking his head at the crowd's stunned expressions.
He naturally understood that the two great clans had appeared today merely to intimidate. But as long as he remained on Earth, he would never permit such posturing to succeed. Now that the matter was resolved, the others should naturally disperse.
"Yes, King Lu." None of them had any objections. From the words spoken earlier by the two Divine Sons, they had all grasped that the true clash would come three days later. That would be the real trial.
Without hesitation, the crowd parted and went their separate ways. Jiang Ningxian lingered behind, watching Lu Yuan as if wanting to say something, but in the end she remained silent.
Events had already progressed to this point; the great battle in three days was entirely unavoidable. All she could do was help the Heavenly Court and this world weather the coming turmoil. Exchanging nods, the two walked off side by side.
Meanwhile, in outer space, the Eternal Divine Son and the Ji Clan Divine Son opened their eyes at the same moment. They exchanged a glance, their faces dripping with murderous intent.
"I knew this man was overbearing and arrogant, but I never imagined he would dare strike our phantoms directly. It seems we cannot let him die too easily. Otherwise, the whole starry sky will think you and I can be trampled upon at will," the Eternal Divine Son said, his tone grim and chilling. A sliver of his own will had resided within that phantom; Lu Yuan's strike had essentially been equivalent to slaying him once.
"We have both committed real measures this time. When our projections descend, they will possess the might of the First Tier Immortal level," the Ji Clan Divine Son said. He had never underestimated Lu Yuan and knew he was a difficult opponent. For that reason, killing him would be even harder. Even if their true bodies could not personally descend, the phantoms they cast down had to be sufficiently potent.
With strength at the First Tier Immortal level, they could suppress even an ordinary immortal directly. As chosen prides of the highest order, they possessed absolute confidence. It was only three days; they could afford to wait.
"This battle will draw the eyes of the entire universe." Having said that, the Eternal Divine Son closed his eyes once more. He continued gathering his reserves, refusing to permit any unexpected mishap three days from now. Proud though he was, he was not reckless. Both had resolved to grant Lu Yuan no chance of survival.
Soon, that stretch of the cosmos sank into quiet once more.
On Earth, countless people had witnessed the two Divine Sons leading their clansmen down in an attempt to cow the Heavenly Court and Lu Yuan, only to suffer utter defeat—turned back by Lu Yuan and stripped of every ounce of face.
The populace and Awakened grew exceptionally thrilled. It made them feel that even if those so-called Divine Sons came in person, all would be well. Just as Lu Yuan had anticipated, his actions had instilled tremendous confidence in everyone.
Likewise, the extraterrestrial beings were completely stunned. None had anticipated that Lu Yuan would dare charge straight at the two Divine Sons of the Eternal Clan and the Ji clan. Yet along with shock, they felt even greater anticipation. They could already sense that both Divine Sons were thoroughly enraged.
When their projections descended, they would undoubtedly employ every measure at their disposal to execute Lu Yuan. Otherwise, the dignity of both great clans would be ruined. For lineages ranked in the universe's top ten, that was intolerable. Even if the two Divine Sons somehow failed in the end, senior experts or even Domain Lords from both clans would step forward. If not, how could they ever hope to awe the cosmos again?
Thus, amid the contrasting emotions of both sides, time slipped by. Three days passed in a flash.
This was the day the two Divine Sons had chosen to descend.
Yet everything appeared completely ordinary, without the slightest change. The weather was bright and breezy, the sky clear for ten thousand li.
Until, shortly thereafter—
Rumble!
Accompanied by a deafening roar, the firmament shook violently. Bolts of lightning surged across the boundless sky as waves of terrifying aura gradually manifested, like the onset of doomsday.
Beyond Earth, the Eternal Divine Son and the Ji Clan Divine Son opened their eyes in unison. Directly following, two phantoms stepped out from within their bodies. The figures rapidly solidified, looking as if they possessed genuine flesh and blood, before striding toward the fully formed passageway.
These were the projections of the two Divine Sons, inheriting a substantial portion of their power. Though they did not radiate the open fluctuations of the First Tier Immortal level, their actual strength had already reached that threshold.
At that moment, the two projections spoke in unison:
"Today, we kill Lu Yuan!"
Chapter 347