Mount Tai.
Lu Yuan had just returned when Zhu Qingyu and the others received word.
They immediately came out to greet him, bringing another piece of news: during his absence, another batch of extraterrestrial beings had descended.
At the same time, figures from the Eternal Clan, the Jiang clan, and the Bliss Star Sector had all arrived beyond Earth. Half of the top ten star sectors were now present right inside the Solar System, and beings from other star sectors were congregating as well. It was fair to say that Earth was virtually encircled by the various star sectors.
Whether in sheer numbers or the caliber of experts, they far exceeded what came before. The younger generation, including Zhu Qingyu, knew that before long, the truly formidable powerhouses would all descend. As time went on, even Immortals might appear.
Even though they had made ample preparations beforehand, observing those extraterrestrial figures still left each and every one of them thoroughly shaken. They knew that if things continued this way, the situation for the Heavenly Court and Earth would become exceptionally dire.
"They've all arrived? It seems the power of the Severance of Heaven and Earth is about to vanish completely." Hearing this news, Lu Yuan's expression grew solemn.
In his memories, once the restrictions of the Severance of Heaven and Earth faded entirely, the various powerhouses from beyond the realm had descended in droves. They had fought over and occupied famous mountains and great rivers, igniting one massive battle after another until the entire world was plunged into chaos.
Lu Yuan also knew that this time was fundamentally different from before. The dissipation of the Severance of Heaven and Earth's power meant there would no longer be any obstacles holding the extraterrestrial beings back.
"I'll go back and contact my father to see when the Jiang clan will arrive," Jiang Ningxian spoke up upon hearing the news.
She too understood the gravity of the situation. Those descending next would be terrifyingly powerful—perhaps even the Domain Lords of certain star sectors would come. The great era's providence was simply too important for anyone to ignore. Relying solely on the Heavenly Court's strength would certainly not be enough; they needed the Jiang clan by their side. Moreover, the Jiang clan had allies of their own, and together, they would surely make others think twice.
"All right." Lu Yuan naturally had no objections and nodded directly. He understood that what lay ahead was the true upheaval. If the Heavenly Court could weather it, all crises would cease to exist. In the future, the Milky Way Star Sector would be free to flourish and restore itself to its ancient glory.
"There are also methods in my ancestral memories to contact my kinsmen. If my Dragon Clan exists in the Heavenly Dragon Star Sector, they should be able to lend a hand as well," Yinglong spoke up, offering to bring the Dragon Clan into the fold. The reason for its confidence was quite simple: the Dragon Clan originally belonged to this world. In ancient times, they had fought side by side with humanity. Now, they would naturally stand together once more. Having said this, Ao Ze headed straight up Mount Tai. Reaching across the starry sky required careful preparation.
"From now on, do everything in your power to seize fortunate encounters and inheritances, and bring them all back to the Heavenly Court. As the world revives, this is our final window of opportunity. You must seize it." Once Yinglong and Jiang Ningxian departed, Lu Yuan turned to Zhu Qingyu, the Ice Fairy, and the others.
His order was aimed at making the Heavenly Court grow stronger once again in a short period. With formidable enemies looming, there was no room to take things slowly.
"Yes!" everyone replied without hesitation, setting out to carry out their orders. The Heavenly Court was already far stronger than before, and backed by Lu Yuan's deterrence, seizing fortunate encounters would indeed be much easier for them.
After seeing to all this, Lu Yuan did not seek to increase his own strength, focusing solely on refining the seventh of the Nine Cauldrons to boost the Heavenly Court's providence. At the same time, he pondered how to obtain the remaining two cauldrons.
Once he gathered all Nine Cauldrons, it would inevitably bring a qualitative transformation. However, that required a long-term plan; for now, he had to take care of the matter at hand.
Without delay, Lu Yuan took out the cauldron retrieved from the Dragon Prison. It was still mottled with rust, showing nothing extraordinary. Without a word, he dripped a drop of blood onto it. Soon, the rust began to disperse, revealing a bronze luster. Though not ornate, it carried the heavy weight of ages, as if it had endured through countless trials—extraordinary in its own right.
From its patterns, Lu Yuan immediately recognized it: this was the Jingzhou Cauldron, one of the Nine Cauldrons.
He immediately set about refining it with single-minded focus. The process was much like refining the previous cauldrons. The cauldron imprinted itself onto the Investiture Decree, radiating a colossal aura. Lu Yuan also noticed that the moment it was fully refined, the names inscribed on the decree were shrouded in a potent wave of providence.
This meant every being listed on it received a blessing, reaping benefits in cultivation and other areas alike.
"It seems the Nine Cauldrons and the Ancient Heavenly Emperor Token complement each other. To awaken the power within the Ancient Heavenly Emperor Token requires the providence within the Nine Cauldrons." Seeing this, a smile surfaced on Lu Yuan's face.
Now he possessed seven of the Nine Cauldrons; with only two remaining, the set would be complete. Yet another question crossed his mind.
Most of the Nine Cauldrons he had found were accompanied by a Nine-Color Altar. But this one had not been. Thinking deeper, it was easy to infer that this cauldron had been placed there specifically to suppress the Black Dragon. If so, what were the purposes of the other cauldrons?
Were they merely placed atop the altars, or did they serve some unique function? And the only thing connected to the Nine-Color Altars seemed to be the Extraterrestrial Demons—did the cauldrons share a connection with them as well?
Lu Yuan wasn't sure. Yet for some reason, an unnamable sense of crisis suddenly welled in his heart.
"Never mind. Let's invest another batch of Heavenly Court members first." Shaking his head, he rose and left the courtyard.
In Lu Yuan's plan, he would properly arrange Zhu Qingyu and the others after collecting all Nine Cauldrons, maximizing their potential. After all, he could not remain guarding the Heavenly Court forever.
Soon, the investiture was complete. Tens of thousands of true names were now inscribed on the Investiture Decree. These were all future core members of the Heavenly Court, every one of them blessed with providence.
In Lu Yuan's anticipation, anyone invested on the decree would eventually reach at least the Saint Realm. As for those of exceptional talent who applied themselves, attaining immortality was only a matter of time.
For this was the blessing of humanity's providence. Even if it could not compare to the great era's providence, given enough time, their achievements would still be extraordinary.
By then, Lu Yuan would truly have established the Heavenly Court. And he would be the true Lord of the Heavenly Court!
Chapter 367