The Ji clan and the Eternal Clan had originally joined forces solely to deal with Lu Yuan. After discovering the Ancient Heavenly Emperor Token, they maintained their outward alliance, but beneath the surface, it was purely a pretense. Each side harbored its own designs, wanting nothing more than to ditch the other and seize the treasure first.
The item was simply too vital. Even to two premier powers like them, yielding it to anyone else was out of the question.
Now, however, the situation had shifted. Word had leaked out. One could easily foresee that securing the Ancient Heavenly Emperor Token this time would be an uphill battle. Under these circumstances, even if they had not wished to cooperate before, they had to prepare in earnest together.
After all, mighty as the Ji clan was, even they could not stand alone against the cosmos's manifold races—especially with Lu Yuan and the scheming Jiang clan lurking in the fray.
They had to tread with caution. They had no other choice; when it came to the Ancient Heavenly Emperor Token, they dared not let their guard down. The people of the Ji clan knew this full well, and the Eternal Clan was equally conscious of the gravity of the matter.
Meanwhile, atop Mount Tai.
Lu Yuan had thoroughly stabilized his cultivation in the Grotto-Heaven Immortal realm. Unlike before, however, not a sliver of imposing aura emanated from his body. He looked like an ordinary mortal—the hallmark of reaching a certain profound height in cultivation and mastering one's power to the absolute limit.
When he had first stepped into the Immortal Realm, he could not have managed this, but now it was second nature. More importantly, Lu Yuan discovered that along with the increase in his strength and the trial of that last great battle, his affinity with the Ancient Heavenly Emperor Tokens seemed to have grown stronger than ever.
Furthermore, growing stronger meant he could confer titles and positions upon more people. He could bestow destiny power upon them and channel a greater reservoir of it into specific individuals, granting them diverse benefits and accelerating their evolutionary cultivation far beyond their prior pace.
"It seems I need to find an opportunity to invest Zhu Qingyu and the others, inscribing their names onto the Investiture Decree," Lu Yuan murmured to himself. After gathering all of the Nine Cauldrons, the destiny power residing on the Investiture Decree was truly immense.
He could not wield it all yet. He could only adapt step by step, steadily elevating his own strength. Besides, Zhu Qingyu and the rest had all entered the Saint Realm, and their pace of cultivation had noticeably slowed. Even with the world's revival, the conditions it could provide them were limited, and Lu Yuan knew well that the Saint Realm was merely the beginning.
As the very first cohort to awaken in this world, they needed to reach at least the Immortal Realm. Down the line, especially once he was no longer directly presiding over the affairs of the Heavenly Court, they would have to face everything on their own.
Of course, all of that would have to wait until he collected the fifth Ancient Heavenly Emperor Token. For now, Lu Yuan felt his command over the destiny power was not yet sufficient, so he had to take things slowly.
Soon afterward, he learned from Jiang Ningxian that news of the two great factions preparing to seize the Ancient Heavenly Emperor Token had spread far and wide. Nearly all extraterrestrial beings were shaken by it, regardless of whether they knew the token's exact background. They knew one thing with absolute certainty: anything bearing the words "Heavenly Emperor" could never be simple.
So what if it was a plan set by two great factions? Given the chance to claim the Ancient Heavenly Emperor Token, tempted by such a prize, no one would cower before their might any longer. When the moment came, blood would surely be drawn.
Furthermore, among those eager to make a move were the other great clans ranked in the cosmic top ten. Across the starry sky, the disparity among the top ten was never vast. That was precisely what the two factions dreaded most, and it was why they would likely join hands in mutual defense.
"Our goal has been met for now. When the time comes, the situation will descend into utter chaos," Jiang Ningxian said, visibly pleased with the outcome. It had played out just as she had envisioned. Without this plan, confronting the two factions would have been arduous, as both would have brought their full might to bear. Now, the Ji clan and the Eternal Clan would have to contend with other races, dramatically lightening the pressure on the Jiang clan and the Heavenly Court.
"Do we know when they plan to act?" Lu Yuan asked, seeking concrete details.
Jiang Ningxian shook her head, but continued, "There's no need to worry about that. All the starry clans have their eyes locked on the Ji clan and the Eternal Clan. The moment they make a move, we'll know immediately." Though the board had grown messy, it had spared them immense effort.
Lu Yuan could only nod in agreement. An Ancient Heavenly Emperor Token... Those who grasped even a fragment of its secrets would never let it slip through their fingers. All they had to do now was sit back and watch events unfold.
"Right, how are things in the Bliss Star Sector lately?" Lu Yuan recalled. He had slain their so-called Eighteen Venerables, and though he had not truly destroyed the Present Buddhist Son in the end, the grudge was firmly forged. There was no way the other side would let it rest.
"I know what you're worried about, but it's unnecessary," Jiang Ningxian explained at once. "The Bliss Star Sector is divided into three branches. The Present Buddhist Son doesn't speak for the will of the entire Bliss Star Sector. Even if there's conflict, they won't treat you as an enemy of the whole realm.
"Back then, the only reason the Bliss Star Sector moved against the Eternal Clan was because both sides had pushed things far too far.
"Though you have some bad blood between you, you haven't truly ended up completely opposed to one another." She paused before adding, "Of course, the Present Buddha branch will naturally view you differently, but all in all, you don't need to fret over them for now."
Hearing this, Lu Yuan nodded, feeling a measure of relief. It was not out of fear; even if the Bliss Star Sector truly came after him, he would meet them head-on. He was merely concerned it might interfere with his plans to secure the Ancient Heavenly Emperor Token. As long as they stayed their hand for now, so much the better.
Otherwise, if the Eternal Clan, the Ji clan, and the Bliss Star Sector all allied together, the stakes would be entirely different. Only ten factions in the cosmos were hailed as the pinnacle powers. Having three of them unite would account for a third of that pinnacle, bringing no end of trouble. Fortunately, that worst-case scenario had not materialized, which was a blessing in itself.
"Then all we have left to do is wait quietly to see when those two great factions make their move." Lu Yuan knew the board was set. The moment the Ji clan and the Eternal Clan moved together, the game would begin.
Did the two factions believe the Ancient Heavenly Emperor Token was already in their grasp? Not if Lu Yuan had anything to say about it. He had absolute confidence he would deny them their prize.
Chapter 400