As time ticked by, Lu Yuan could feel the power within him growing steadily stronger.
Eventually, it broke through all barriers.
Rumble!
A thunderous roar echoed from within his body, like the detonation of lightning. Lu Yuan discovered that the power within him had grown even more formidable.
Soul, physique, and every other aspect surged and elevated in tandem. His strength was dozens of times greater than when he had first stepped into the Undying Immortal realm—the two states were simply incomparable.
This made him realize that with every step one took within the Immortal Realm, their combat prowess underwent a staggering transformation.
Even chosen prodigies could not bridge the chasm between tiers under such circumstances. Lu Yuan estimated that facing a Creation Immortal right now would still be virtually impossible for him. The reason was exceedingly simple: the disparity in strength was truly terrifying.
His previous ability to slay the Black Dragon had been solely due to it having been sealed for far too long. Barely one percent of its original power had remained. Yet even then, that fierce battle had forced him to exert every ounce of his strength.
"The Immortal Realm truly is extraordinary." Lu Yuan felt the immense power coursing within him, his expression shifting.
This level of strength was unquestionably far more fearsome than before. In this state, he knew that the destiny power he could wield would be even greater.
Of course, the adverse backlash would likely be much the same as before. The fundamental reason was probably that, before the Ancient Heavenly Emperor Token, even reaching the Grotto-Heaven Immortal realm did not amount to much.
"The Ancient Heavenly Emperor Token..." Lu Yuan could not help but think of the token again and sighed. What troubled him most right now was that he had no idea where the next token was.
He could only take it one step at a time. Putting the thought aside, Lu Yuan began consolidating his newly advanced cultivation.
Upon reaching this realm, the greater one's strength, the longer it took to stabilize the vast power within. Knowing this well, he was in no rush. Moreover, with the presence of the Ancient Heavenly Emperor Token, his stabilization was actually much faster than anyone else's.
During this process, however, Lu Yuan noticed another anomaly: the golden blood and qi within him seemed to be changing, shifting back toward a vibrant crimson. This transformation had manifested only after he broke through to the Grotto-Heaven Immortal realm.
"My physique and all other faculties haven't degraded because of this. On the contrary, an inexplicable power is surfacing within it." After examining it closely, Lu Yuan realized that this change was far from a bad thing.
Once his cultivation reached a certain depth, it directly influenced his bloodline. The previous golden hue was reverting to its original color.
This was a return to simplicity. Indeed, once the entire process reached completion, it might mark the moment Lu Yuan truly ascended to the supreme pinnacle.
"To think such a change would occur," he murmured, shaking his head with a faint smile. He truly had not expected this.
As his cultivation grew, his bloodline began returning to simplicity, and this gave him a glimpse of how to tread the path ahead.
Without dwelling further on it, Lu Yuan acclimated to the strength within his body and stepped out of his chamber.
This seclusion had taken three whole months. It seemed long, but for an existence at his realm, it was actually exceptionally brief. Anyone else certainly could not have achieved it so quickly. However, his foundation was extraordinarily profound, and with the Ancient Heavenly Emperor Token to assist him, accomplishing this was only natural.
Lu Yuan's emergence from seclusion was immediately noticed by Zhu Qingyu and the others. The crowd gathered to brief him on recent events.
Many star sector factions had already finalized cooperative agreements with the Heavenly Court, including joint efforts to seize opportunities and fortunes. Some star sectors, eager to curry favor, had even offered up their own clans' heritages.
Everyone knew that once the Heavenly Court matured in the future, it would inevitably become a cosmic hegemon. As the Lord of the Heavenly Court, Lu Yuan was an absolute powerhouse. They understood all too well what choice they needed to make.
More importantly, factions that had once crossed the Heavenly Court no longer dared act as they had before. For instance, the Yin Sparrow Clan and others kept their heads down, while the Celestial Clan, who had once looked down upon Lu Yuan and this world, now chose to take a detour whenever they spotted members of the Heavenly Court.
They had no choice. At a time like this, no one dared provoke the Heavenly Court.
Lu Yuan had shattered the phantom projections of two Dao Protectors with his own hands. Those were Creation Immortals—powerhouses that some star sector races had never even produced in their entire histories.
It was fair to say that the present Heavenly Court was completely different from what it had once been.
As for the Eternal Clan and the Ji clan, there was still no movement from them.
It was as if they had completely forgotten that their divine sons had been killed. This was very strange. In Lu Yuan's view, no matter how patient those two great factions might be, it made no sense for them to have no reaction whatsoever after such a long time. Could they be plotting something in secret?
Naturally, the Heavenly Court had no intelligence on this yet. Nor did he expect Zhu Qingyu and the others to uncover it.
Yet seeing everyone growing stronger and the ranks of the Heavenly Court swelling by the day, Lu Yuan knew that the faction he had established would one day become a giant, just as everyone anticipated.
Still, everything was merely beginning.
After having everyone attend to their respective duties, Lu Yuan sought out Jiang Ningxian directly. She had not been in seclusion recently, remaining occupied with her own affairs while gathering intelligence across the starry sky—a task Lu Yuan had previously entrusted to her.
His intention was not merely to monitor the movements of so-called enemies, but to observe whether any changes were stirring in the cosmos beyond.
The Extraterrestrial Demons could descend at any moment, and he needed to receive word at the earliest opportunity. Of course, this time, Lu Yuan also intended to inquire about the true situation regarding the two clans.
After all, their behavior was quite abnormal and defied reason. To prepare for whatever was to come, he had to understand the situation in advance.
When Jiang Ningxian heard his inquiry, she nodded gravely. "I was just about to speak with you regarding this."
"The two great factions, the Eternal Clan and the Ji clan, will certainly not let slip any chance to target you. The reason they haven't made a move yet is simply that they've found something far more important to attend to."
"Something more important?" Hearing this, Lu Yuan could not help but chuckle. "Is there really something more important than the deaths of two divine sons?"
After all, those had been the future pillars of their clans, individuals of extraordinary status. Yet she claimed there was something even more important. Curiosity naturally stirred in his heart.
"Divine sons and holy maidens may be the strongest among the younger generation, but that doesn't mean their deaths will deal a crippling blow to the clan," Jiang Ningxian said, shaking her head. "As long as their foundation remains intact, their resources and methods allow them to foster a second or even a third divine son or holy maiden."
Lu Yuan naturally could not deny this. Whether the Eternal Clan or the Ji clan, their heritage and foundations were immense.
Slaying two divine sons was hardly enough to damage their roots. Thus, he did not waste words on the matter, simply asking, "Then what is this more important matter?"
"It seems to be related to the Ancient Heavenly Emperor Token!" Jiang Ningxian replied.
Chapter 397