The outcome was decided, beyond altering. The two divine sons were dead; everything had come to an end.
For the Ji Clan Third Ancestor and the elder of the Eternal Clan, remaining served no purpose and might even invite targeted attacks.
While Jiang Huanyun's strength alone could not pose a mortal danger to them, Lu Yuan was currently in a bizarre state, having even obliterated the phantoms of the two Dao protectors.
If the two joined forces, their situation would become exceedingly precarious. Under such circumstances, the natural choice was to withdraw for now and deal with the matter of the two divine sons' deaths later.
After all, if they continued the struggle, even mutual destruction would be out of the question—they might very well lose their own lives.
"They left! They really left! With two divine sons slain, they're just walking away?"
"Walk away? What else could they do? Lu Yuan has fully matured into his power."
"Indeed. No one can hold him in check anymore."
The surrounding immortals exchanged bewildered glances upon seeing the powerhouses of both clans depart.
In their minds, those clans should have struck with everything they had at such a moment, for the death of their own divine sons was an absolute, irreconcilable blood feud.
Yet the result had defied everyone's expectations. Of course, on closer thought, it hardly seemed irrational. The Jiang clan's expert was already formidable enough to leave the powerhouses of both factions struggling to cope, and if Lu Yuan in his current state assisted from the side, the consequences would be catastrophic.
Still, they simply could not fathom how someone merely in the Undying realm could possess such terrifying power.
"Gentlemen, since you are not leaving, do you intend to stay on Mount Tai as guests?"
Lu Yuan suddenly spoke, his voice calm and even.
Yet it carried distinctly into everyone's ears. At once, the immortal realm experts from the various clans observing the battle felt their hearts jolt.
They knew they could linger no longer, lest they bring disaster upon themselves. There was no avoiding it—everyone present understood that Lu Yuan had truly become an authentic heavyweight, a figure none of them dared cross.
"We wouldn't dare! We shall take our leave at once!"
The crowd reacted swiftly, speaking up without delay.
What a joke—if they provoked him, what hope would they have? Had he not just demonstrated that he would kill divine-son-level figures without hesitation?
Their own cultivation was modest, and their backgrounds were far inferior to those of the two great clans. In this position, how could they dare say another word?
Without the slightest hesitation, the observing immortals took their leave. Before long, the various auras blanketing Mount Tai vanished, and the mountain instantly returned to its former tranquility.
Below, Zhu Qingyu and the others stared in a daze at the unfolding scene.
They truly had not expected the crisis to conclude in such a manner. They had done nothing at all, merely watching from the sidelines throughout.
Yet after a brief moment of absentmindedness, an eruption of cheers burst from everyone. The Peacock King, the Spirit Monkey, the Golden-Winged Great Peng, and the others all breathed a profound sigh of relief.
They had believed this crisis would be excruciatingly difficult to survive, but now it seemed they had completely overthought things. With King Lu present, no crisis was worth fretting over.
Sure enough, their previous choice to join the Heavenly Court had been the right one.
Humans and mutant beasts had united completely, withstanding the various crises brought by the extraterrestrial beings. For them, this was an achievement worthy of immense pride.
Meanwhile, in the sky above, as the two great powerhouses and the immortal realm experts of the extraterrestrial clans departed, the power of destiny within Lu Yuan gradually subsided.
It ceased to augment him and began to dissipate. This did not mean the power of destiny was gone; it had simply returned to the Investiture Decree.
As for Lu Yuan himself, that tremendous power was drawn away, returning him to his original cultivation. The sensation was undeniably uncomfortable, and even Lu Yuan felt a wave of weakness wash over him. Had his own foundation not been exceptionally profound, he would have found it difficult even to maintain his footing.
Even so, the change was perceived by Jiang Huanyun in the distance. To his eyes, everything just now had stemmed from Lu Yuan unleashing his most formidable trump card; now that the card had run its course, such a state was only natural.
Otherwise, how else could one explain a person erupting with such staggering power?
Lu Yuan steadied his posture, looked down at the Heavenly Court's forces below, and smiled. "All danger has been dispelled. Everyone, disperse."
After this battle, the Heavenly Court would be treated with true gravity by every major extraterrestrial clan, deterring them from acting rashly.
In other words, his objective had been achieved. There was little meaning in having everyone remain gathered atop Jade Emperor Peak, so dispersing was the natural course.
"Understood, King Lu!"
Receiving the command, the members raised no objections and scattered at once.
Yet every heart remained filled with tremendous exhilaration. They all understood the monumental significance this battle held for them and for this world.
From this day forward, the Heavenly Court they represented would never again be looked down upon by any living being. Two great clans had personally intervened, alongside the Present Buddhist Son of the Bliss Star Sector, yet all had suffered an immense setback in this confrontation. Such an achievement was something even factions among the top hundred star sectors might fail to accomplish.
"Lu Yuan, are you all right?"
Jiang Ningxian arrived at Lu Yuan's side and asked with concern.
She too sensed his apparent weakness, and worrying for him, she dared not leave.
"I'm fine. My power was merely drained; I just need to rest for a period of time." Lu Yuan shook his head. Cloaking oneself in the power of destiny did not come without a price.
Just as it was now. Aside from appearing feeble, even the innate spirit within his sea of consciousness had grown dim.
It was a consequence of severe soul exhaustion. Though it posed no lasting harm, it meant he would be unable to draw upon that power of destiny for a considerable time to come. Forcing its use would likely place him in grave peril.
"All right, let's head back first." Jiang Ningxian understood that leaving was the wisest move. Who knew if someone was watching from the shadows?
If someone noticed Lu Yuan's condition, there was no guarantee they wouldn't strike. In particular, the two great factions had just suffered such a humiliating defeat; while they appeared to have retreated, they were likely already preparing to stage a comeback, having withdrawn earlier only out of dread for Lu Yuan's borrowed might.
Without further words, they departed. And with that, this battle had come to an absolute close.
Beyond all expectations, the Heavenly Court represented by Lu Yuan had not only emerged victorious, but more importantly, he had consecutively slain three divine-son-level figures and wiped out the Buddhist faction's Eighteen Venerables. Like a hurricane, the news swept across the world in an instant.
Not only those who had descended to Earth, but even extraterrestrial beings were struck with disbelief upon hearing the report—yet the stark reality lay plain before their eyes.
Chapter 394