During the global revival and mutations, humans were not the only ones to embark on the path of evolution.
The mutant beasts had done the same, represented by figures like the Peacock King. Now, major extraterrestrial factions were preparing to strike at the Heavenly Court, aiming to destroy the power this world possessed to defend itself.
Even setting aside the fact that many Beast Kings had long since joined the Heavenly Court, when faced with such a situation, they would still unhesitatingly choose to stand with the human race. The reason was exceedingly simple: no matter how one looked at it, both sides were living beings native to this world.
The extraterrestrial powers were outsiders. And against outsiders, they had to unite as one and take up arms. Defending this world was protecting themselves.
"Establishing the Heavenly Court was indeed the wisest thing you ever did, no matter how you look at it," Jiang Ningxian could not help but remark, turning to Lu Yuan beside her. "It truly united the living beings of this world, which is why we've been able to weather one crisis after another."
She had always felt he was remarkably clever, as though he had foreseen many things far in advance. Although the addition of the mutant beasts might not play a decisive role, it had nevertheless brought all the creatures of this world together in unity. That alone was extraordinarily rare.
At the very least, it left no opening for outsiders to exploit. Naturally, she felt genuine admiration for him.
"If I told you I foresaw all of this, would you believe me?" Lu Yuan smiled.
He knew what would happen stage by stage following the global revival, at least across the first ten years. Thus, every step he took was, if not the absolute most correct choice, certainly the most fitting one. Had that not been the case, even with his strength being the greatest in this world, handling the current situation would have been exceedingly difficult.
Sometimes, even possessing peerless strength was not enough to solve everything. Lu Yuan had always understood this clearly, which was why he chose to unite all sides.
"Whatever you say, I'll naturally believe," Jiang Ningxian replied. In truth, though, she did not fully grasp the meaning behind his words.
Lu Yuan did not elaborate either. Soon, everyone reached Jade Emperor Peak. With the revival, Mount Tai had transformed as well. Even with all the members of the Heavenly Court, along with the Jiang clan and the Beast Kings, the summit did not feel crowded at all; instead, it remained remarkably spacious.
Zhu Qingyu and the others set about making the final arrangements. The two major factions were bound to appear before long. This was a critical juncture, and no carelessness could be permitted, even if they could contribute very little during the coming clash.
Meanwhile, Lu Yuan sensed numerous powerful auras in the surrounding area, all belonging to the Immortal Realm. Clearly, they were experts from various extraterrestrial races. However, none showed any hostility for the time being, so he paid them no mind.
He sat cross-legged on the spot and closed his eyes to regulate his condition. Even though they had the Jiang clan's help in this battle, Lu Yuan had never been one to place his hopes in the hands of others. Especially in a critical matter like this, one's own power was what truly mattered most.
Time continued to slip away.
*Buzz, buzz, buzz—*
After an unknown amount of time, a potent aura surged into being.
Jiang Huanyun had returned. Looking at Lu Yuan and the others, he spoke slowly, "They're here."
An overwhelming force swept in abruptly, seemingly tearing through everything. Immediately following it, figure after figure materialized on the horizon. Nearly every single one of them was in the Immortal Realm—at a rough estimate, there were at least ten.
Worthy of being two of the top ten factions: sending out ten figures in the Immortal Realm right from the start was a lavish display for most extraterrestrial races, whose entire clans might possess that number at most. Yet here they were, deploying so many just to deal with Lu Yuan. It was truly startling.
At the fore stood the Third Ancestor of the Ji clan and an elder from the Eternal Clan. Behind them were two Divine Sons, each radiating a powerful aura that continuously rolled outward.
The power they displayed felt as though it could reign supreme over the firmament, terrifically terrifying.
The two factions' mobilization was formidable indeed. Even the Immortal Realm figures watching from a distance could not help but fall back upon sensing that aura, seemingly terrified that lingering too close might incur the two factions' wrath.
"Lu Yuan!"
At that moment, the Third Ancestor of the Ji clan spoke. His eyes were cold, like a deity gazing down upon mortal life. "I gave you half a month to leave Mount Tai completely, offering you a chance to survive. Yet not only did you fail to cherish it, you chose to ignore it entirely. It seems that this time, we cannot let you off under any circumstances.
"The starry sky is boundless, home to countless experts. Do not think that having a bit of strength entitles you to look down on everything, or you will surely pay the price."
Previously, both sides had still been willing to talk things out, but that was no longer the case; the facade had been thoroughly torn away. There was no point in wasting further time when they could simply strike. Thus, he addressed Lu Yuan directly, temporarily disregarding even the Jiang clan beside him.
"A high-sounding excuse," Jiang Ningxian spoke up, unable to hold back. "Is failing to obey you a crime?"
After all, her gentle temperament was reserved solely for Lu Yuan. Others could hardly expect such treatment.
"Holy Maiden of the Jiang clan, this matter originally had nothing to do with your clan. We informed you through various channels and asked you not to intervene. Yet our warnings were ignored as well. Since that is the case, do not blame us for showing no courtesy."
The speaker was the elder from the Eternal Clan. Long ago, the Ji clan had maintained good ties with the Jiang clan, so on certain occasions, their words were not overly harsh. But the Eternal Clan cared nothing for that and spoke without reservation.
"What my Jiang clan chooses to do is not for you to dictate," Jiang Haokong chimed in, the formidable aura around him churning continuously.
In truth, both sides knew that a great battle was unavoidable, yet neither wished to be the first to make a move. For until the very end, no one could predict the final outcome of this clash.
Still, everything that needed to be said had been said.
Lu Yuan stood up. His expression was calm as he murmured softly, "If you want to fight, then let's begin. Further talk is useless. I know you not only want Mount Tai, but also my life. Fine. But the prerequisite for all of that is that you actually have the power to kill me!"
His voice was not loud, but if one listened closely, it carried tremendous, unshakable confidence.
It seemed this time would be no different from every battle before—even when facing two of the most powerful factions in the starry sky!
Chapter 385