Lu Yuan had always known that the Nine Cauldrons were far from ordinary, possessing an inscrutable power of their own.
After all, from the moment they were forged, they had carried the ability to anchor providence. That was especially true once he refined them, which allowed him to project that providence directly onto others and grant them tremendous benefits.
Although the Ancient Heavenly Emperor Token and the Investiture Decree played a role in this, the simple fact remained that without the Nine Cauldrons, providence could not be bestowed.
In short, the importance of the Nine Cauldrons was self-evident. If he could assemble the complete set, their true might would undoubtedly be unleashed.
As for what that power would look like, Lu Yuan could not say for sure. Yet one thing was certain: it would give both him and the Heavenly Court something solid to rely on amid the current chaos. Meanwhile, Lu Yuan had not remained idle; he continued cultivating.
Still, advancing further after stepping into the Immortal Realm was exceptionally difficult. For now, he had not even felt the threshold of a Grotto-Heaven Immortal, still lingering at the stage of an Undying Immortal.
Lu Yuan knew that as his cultivation grew stronger, subsequent evolutionary progress would only become steeper, even with peerless talent.
Of course, that hardly mattered. Immortals already stood in the upper echelons of the cosmos, wielding terrifying combat strength. Barring true chosen prides among his peers or the elder figures of powerful ancient clans, his battle prowess was enough to let him walk unhindered, fearless before almost any entity.
Under such circumstances, taking another step forward naturally would not be simple. Knowing this well, he felt no inner haste.
His only real concern was the Eternal Clan and the Ji clan. The two factions had already allied, and they were bound to move against him and the Heavenly Court sooner or later.
That was beyond doubt. Lu Yuan had trump cards, but he knew they could not be used lightly. For now, he would see what refining the remaining two cauldrons would bring.
Time marched on. Although most of the Heavenly Court's members had returned to Mount Tai, many remained on patrol outside, including Zhu Qingyu and other members of the younger generation.
In Lu Yuan's vision, the future Heavenly Court would be led by these people, and the chaotic state of the world provided the ideal opportunity to temper them.
He did not accompany them. People, after all, needed to grow on their own, both in martial strength and character.
At the same time, Lu Yuan kept an eye on external developments—such as a certain powerful clan seizing a renowned mountain or river to use as a stronghold.
He paid these matters no heed and took no action, effectively granting his tacit consent. If he were to restrict even that, he would genuinely make an enemy of the entire universe. Moreover, Lu Yuan understood that this influx could not be stopped. It was far better to let things unfold naturally. In the midst of such turmoil, it was best that no one paid attention to the Heavenly Court. The real nightmare would be all the extraterrestrial clans uniting against them.
If that happened, the Heavenly Court would be hard-pressed to survive, even with the Jiang clan's help. As it stood, tensions festered between the various clans, amplified by the revelations of ancient legacies and great era providence. The situation would only grow more volatile, and only in that chaos would the Heavenly Court find its true chance to rise.
Only by rising could it better protect this world. That was also why, long ago, Lu Yuan had instructed Elder Ji and Elder Yun to establish both the Trial Academy and the Heavenly Court here. If changes occurred in the future, they would hold the initiative. Lu Yuan had planned everything well in advance.
In truth, observing from the perspective of an outsider, Jiang Huanyun could not help but hold Lu Yuan in ever-higher regard. Everything had truly been arranged with great foresight. On that basis alone, allying with him was unquestionably the right choice for the Jiang clan.
During this time, another contingent from the Jiang clan descended to Earth, steadily bolstering the Heavenly Court's strength. Among them were Great Saints and even Immortal Realm figures. Having learned that the Eternal Clan and the Ji clan intended to join forces, they risked disaster if they did not commit greater numbers. Fortunately, for the moment, everything remained calm.
Then, on this day, Jiang Huanyun brought word that the final two of the Nine Cauldrons had at last arrived.
True to his word, the two cauldrons were handed over to Lu Yuan without conditions or hesitation.
Just as Jiang Huanyun had stated before, this was an unreserved alliance offered in complete sincerity. Lu Yuan understood this and expressed his gratitude.
As for why Jiang Huanyun had delivered them rather than Jiang Ningxian and her brother, the reason was straightforward: the siblings were currently in seclusion, hoping to make another breakthrough in the short term. The great era had arrived, and those who walked farthest would rely on raw strength.
After receiving the two cauldrons and thanking him once more, Lu Yuan returned directly to his quarters. He did not enter seclusion right away, however. Instead, he instructed the Heavenly Court's personnel to closely monitor the outside world. Most matters could simply be left to Jiang Huanyun; with him present, major crises were unlikely to occur.
With that settled, Lu Yuan could focus entirely on his seclusion.
Shortly after, Lu Yuan sat cross-legged in his room. Before him stood two bronze cauldrons engraved with intricate patterns.
More importantly, a heavy, profound aura pulsed intermittently from them. Even after countless eons, the dense sensation of anchoring providence had not diminished in the least; if anything, it felt richer than ever.
Lu Yuan observed them briefly, then calmed his mind and inspected the other seven cauldrons branded onto the Investiture Decree.
As if sensing the presence of the remaining two cauldrons, the seven began to glow, and the power of providence within the decree began to vibrate in resonance.
It was exactly as he had anticipated. Gathering all Nine Cauldrons and refining them would yield unimaginable benefits.
"Very well. Let's see what happens!" Lu Yuan murmured.
Without further ado, he adjusted his inner condition, drew the Daluo sword core, and sliced open his palm. Drops of fresh blood rolled down, dripping atop the two cauldrons.
*Buzz—*
The next instant, both cauldrons erupted in blinding radiance, illuminating the entire room. Their heavy aura surged in layered waves, swelling with extraordinary intensity.
Fortunately, Lu Yuan had come prepared, using his techniques to suppress the outward eruption of power. Otherwise, everything around them would have been ground to dust.
These were the legendary Nine Cauldrons, after all. How could they be judged by ordinary measures?
"Now it truly begins!"
Lu Yuan took a deep breath as he gazed at the two cauldrons, then poured his heart and soul into the refinement!
Chapter 378