From the very beginning, Lu Yuan had operated this way, proceeding steadily according to plan.
The Heavenly Court of today was vastly different from what it had once been. It was no longer the small organization it had started out as, but had grown into the most powerful force in the contemporary world, rivaling the factions beyond the starry domain.
Counting him among their ranks, they possessed the Immortal Realm, the Saint Realm, and a vast cohort of subordinates brimming with potential. Even more importantly, they possessed their own allies.
It could be said that if evaluated now, the Heavenly Court would not be considered weak even in the cosmos. At the very least, even the top hundred star sectors would not dare underestimate them upon witnessing this strength. Moreover, Lu Yuan firmly believed that given enough time, the Heavenly Court would inevitably become even stronger.
Even Jiang Huanyun was thoroughly astonished upon seeing them.
Although he had heard of the Heavenly Court's existence beforehand, he had never truly taken it to heart. After all, from his perspective, aside from Lu Yuan, almost everyone else had merely just stepped onto the path of cultivation and evolution.
Yet after laying eyes on them in person, he could not help but view them with serious regard. Jiang Huanyun genuinely had not expected that a Heavenly Court founded so recently would boast so many Saint Realm cultivators, each with exceptional innate talent.
Above all, in his eyes, an indistinct, mysterious power seemed to envelop every one of them. It was precisely the presence of that power that allowed the Heavenly Court's forces to grow continuously.
Ultimately, Jiang Huanyun was convinced: barring unforeseen accidents, the Heavenly Court was destined to become a major power.
At this moment, he also finally began to take Jiang Ningxian's words seriously. From the very start, Lu Yuan had planned ahead for a rainy day.
Setting aside his remarkable personal talent and battle prowess that surpassed his peers, the Heavenly Court alone was extraordinarily impressive. Some might have once thought Lu Yuan spoke too boastfully, daring to found a Heavenly Court outright, but judging by present circumstances, if this momentum continued, it truly was within the realm of possibility.
Relying on this force, he could at least stand fearless before the less prominent star sectors and races.
Meanwhile, Lu Yuan knew what he had to face next, and preparations of all kinds were put into motion. With the Severance of Heaven and Earth gone and extraterrestrial beings beginning their full-scale descent, he knew what would follow. Events similar to his past life might unfold, and no matter what, he had to stop them this time.
Of course, with this force at his disposal and the Jiang clan aiding from the side, the situation would be far better. Yet the greater priority was dealing with the Eternal Clan and the Ji clan.
Those two were the real adversaries. Given the influence of both clans, they might even rally a host of others to their banner. Lu Yuan was not afraid that these people would target him; his concern lay with the ordinary populace being caught in the crossfire. That was something he would never permit. After all, the people had done nothing wrong and should not suffer such a fate.
Before long, the general arrangements were complete, and orders were dispatched across the board. As for the rest, they would have to await the passage of time and the shifting situation, so there was no rush right now.
At the same time, Jiang Ningxian informed him that before long, another contingent from the Jiang clan would descend and offer their full support. By now, the two parties were thoroughly aligned, a fact already known to the various races across the star sectors. In response, Lu Yuan simply nodded.
He understood very well that to stabilize the situation under the current circumstances, he had to address it from every angle.
Soon, all immediate matters were temporarily settled.
Just as he finished, however, Jiang Huanyun—who had remained silent throughout—walked over.
Seeing him approach, Lu Yuan gave a slight bow in greeting. He did not see the Jiang siblings anywhere; evidently, Jiang Huanyun wished to speak with him in private. Not wishing to act rashly, Lu Yuan simply stood in place, waiting for the elder to speak.
"I heard Ningxian say that you have been searching for the Nine Cauldrons all along?" Jiang Huanyun wasted no breath on pleasantries, cutting straight to the heart of the matter.
"That is correct," Lu Yuan nodded, though he chose not to elaborate.
"The Nine Cauldrons are sacred artifacts of state cast by the ancient sages of our human race, capable of anchoring human destiny. They are of paramount importance. Why are you gathering them?" Jiang Huanyun asked, a solemn look in his eyes.
The Jiang clan, after all, were descendants of the Human Sovereign Heavenly Emperor and privy to numerous secrets—especially a figure of his standing.
Previously, neither Jiang Ningxian nor Jiang Haokong had ever asked this question, so Lu Yuan had kept quiet, as the matter was tied to the Ancient Heavenly Emperor Token. It was not that he wanted to hide things from others, but simply that the stakes were far too high.
Now that Jiang Huanyun had brought it up, Lu Yuan paused in thought for a moment before speaking. "Senior, this is a personal matter. Please forgive me, as I cannot explain it clearly."
He did not wish to speak of it, yet he had no desire to deceive the man before him. Their cooperation was built on mutual trust. This was the only way; if the other party truly took offense, Lu Yuan would have nothing to say in defense. In this regard, he had indeed not been entirely candid.
However, upon hearing his response, Jiang Huanyun pondered briefly and then said, "Though you did not say, you did not deceive me either. I will not read into it. And my reason for coming to ask about this today was merely to tell you something."
"Two of the Nine Cauldrons are currently in the hands of my Jiang clan. Barring any mishaps, they should be delivered here before long."
Two of the Nine Cauldrons were with the Jiang clan?
Lu Yuan's eyes filled with astonishment. He had previously guessed that the remaining two cauldrons might not be on Earth, but had not expected this to be true.
Surprise aside, Lu Yuan swiftly gathered his thoughts and asked, "Then does Senior mean that once the remaining two cauldrons arrive, they will be given to me?"
It was only natural to make such an assumption; otherwise, why would Jiang Huanyun approach him directly to share this?
Sure enough, Jiang Huanyun nodded without hesitation.
"Indeed. You are only missing those two cauldrons."
"While the Nine Cauldrons are important, they serve little purpose sitting in the possession of our Jiang clan. Since you desire them, you surely have plans of your own. As partners, consider it a gesture of sincerity from the Jiang clan."
His purpose in coming here had been, first, to protect this world, and second, to see what kind of person Lu Yuan truly was. Finally, it was to deliver the remaining two cauldrons into his hands.
The Heavenly Court had not fully risen yet, but in the future, it would inevitably become a formidable power, and Lu Yuan was bound to become a powerhouse capable of influencing the entire cosmos. Entrusting the Nine Cauldrons to him was a worthy choice. After all, he belonged to the Milky Way Star Sector, sharing a lineage of heritage with the Jiang clan.
"Thank you." Lu Yuan did not refuse, for he genuinely needed them. Now, he was merely short of those final two cauldrons.
He had originally thought it would take quite some time before he could collect them all, never expecting the remaining two to already be in the hands of the Jiang clan.
Now, he could not help but feel profound anticipation: once all Nine Cauldrons were assembled, what kind of change would take place within the Investiture Decree?
Chapter 376