Biding Time, It Finally Begins

"After this, we will just wait quietly," Lu Yuan finally said, choosing to let the matter rest for now. Everything had already been set in motion; all they needed to do was wait patiently. An event of such magnitude would inevitably become known to the entire world the moment anything stirred. Even the two great factions could not keep it hidden. Jiang Ningxian agreed completely, adding, "By the way, another group of people from my clan will descend soon. When the time comes to confront the two factions, we'll have even greater combat strength and backing. "Furthermore, as time progresses, many renowned powerhouses from across the cosmos are also drawing close to the Milky Way Star Sector. "I suspect these figures have come not only for the Ancient Heavenly Emperor Token, but also for the great era providence." She spoke with utmost gravity, for among those powerhouses were Creation Immortals and even Heavenly Position Immortals. Across the entire cosmos, such individuals stood among the absolute peak of experts. Jiang Ningxian even suspected that when the moment came, Domain Lord-level existences might appear. And what was a Domain Lord? A lord of a star sector. Every single one was a genuinely peerless powerhouse. Those hailing from the top ten star sectors were especially terrifying, standing practically at the zenith of the Immortal Realm. They were the ones truly worth fearing, for beings of that caliber were beyond words. If they developed designs on the Milky Way Star Sector or chose to target the Heavenly Court, that would be true trouble. The Ancient Heavenly Emperor Token. The great era providence. This world had truly become the target of all eyes. "What must come will always come. With the restrictions of the Severing of Heaven and Earth gone, we cannot stop it." Lu Yuan shook his head. He knew they would eventually have to face it, yet no fear stirred in his heart. The reason was simple: he intended to seize this opportunity to consolidate all their forces. What he truly worried about was the extraterrestrial celestial demons. He also had the chance to rapidly grow stronger during this period, reaching the Creation Immortal realm or even the higher Heavenly Position Immortal realm. Naturally, relying solely on conventional cultivation and evolution would never suffice; he needed external aid. The most critical component was the Ancient Heavenly Emperor Token. He had already fused four of them, so he looked forward to seeing what transformation would occur when he fused the fifth. Even if it did not offer immense benefits to his realm of cultivation, he could at least use the token to command even greater providence. If he encountered a powerhouse he could not handle, unleashing that ultimate method would be his last resort. Though a measure of desperation, it remained an option. His intuition told him he had to do this. Consolidate forces from all sides and prepare for the true arch-enemy, even if that enemy had not yet appeared. Nothing stopped him from preparing in advance; after all, that had always been his way. "I understand," Jiang Ningxian said quietly beside him. Indeed, this was the only viable path. With that, the two spoke no further and went to make their preparations. Jiang Ningxian focused naturally on the Ancient Heavenly Emperor Token, contacting her clansmen while gathering intelligence from all quarters. Lu Yuan set about investing more individuals, bestowing greater combat strength upon the Beast Kings led by the Golden-Winged Great Peng in hopes that they could advance further. Under the circumstances, this was all he could do. Time trickled past. News concerning the Ancient Heavenly Emperor Token spread wider and wider. Nearly all extraterrestrial beings were watching closely, eager to obtain clues at the earliest opportunity. Yet, although everyone knew the two factions were making their moves at Mount Emei, no one acted directly. The reason was simple: nearly every eye was fixed on Mount Emei. Striking first would immediately paint a target on one's back. In such an atmosphere, who dared to be the bird that stuck its neck out? Thus, every major faction exercised restraint. The two factions were the first to mobilize, confirming that the rumors were true. Under these circumstances, both the Eternal Clan and the Ji clan were thoroughly frustrated. They had originally planned to settle the matter in secret, and held back later only to see who would lose patience first. They had never anticipated the other parties would prove so remarkably patient. With everyone refusing to budge, no one could claim the Ancient Heavenly Emperor Token. Yet this bred another problem: delays invited complications. Who could guarantee this stalemate would last indefinitely? What if someone employed some extraordinary method to snatch the token right from beneath everyone's noses? If that happened, all their prior efforts would go up in smoke. Left with no alternative, the two factions decided to make their move. No matter how chaotic the situation became, so long as they possessed sufficient power, nothing would pose a problem. Before long, the two factions made their choice: advance! It was on this very day that Lu Yuan received word at once. With so many eyes watching, no matter how well the two factions concealed themselves, their actions were bound to be exposed. "Has it finally begun?" A faint smile touched Lu Yuan's lips upon hearing the report. "Yes, it seems our turn has come as well," Jiang Ningxian remarked beside him. They had prepared for this for a long time; the Ancient Heavenly Emperor Token was of paramount importance and permitted not the slightest mishap. Immediately, by Lu Yuan's command, members of the Heavenly Court were assembled. Naturally, to qualify for this mission, one had to have attained at least the Saint Realm. Those lacking sufficient strength would be of no help. Elder Ji, Elder Yun, and the others had retired long ago, yet upon hearing the news, they came out to see them off. This departure differed from all previous ones. In the past, the Heavenly Court had always reacted passively to crises. Now, however, they were taking the initiative, preparing to vie directly against the various cosmic races. This was the Heavenly Court's first battle since the last great conflict, marking a complete shift. Zhu Qingyu, the Ice Fairy, the Peacock King, the Golden-Winged Great Peng, and the others all gathered in the Trial Academy. This would be a chaotic brawl. Everyone might have the opportunity to participate, making it a trial in its own right. Many were eager to test themselves. Previously, they had always stood under Lu Yuan's protection. While there was no issue with the top-tier combat power, the mid-tier combat strength now needed to be tested. Although the Heavenly Court still lacked members in the Immortal Realm, the Jiang clan would make up for it, ensuring nothing went awry. In a plaza within the Trial Academy, the Heavenly Court members engaged in hushed discussion. This place lay quite a distance from Mount Emei. With both factions already mobilizing and extraterrestrial beings on the move, rushing over by ordinary means might cause them to miss many crucial developments. Yet even as some voiced their concern, others remained completely composed. Soon after, Lu Yuan and Jiang Ningxian arrived, with Jiang Haokong trailing behind. Seeing that everyone was present, Lu Yuan offered no wasted words. Turning around, he raised his palm, formed a sword with his fingers, and lightly slashed across the void. *Boom!* In an instant, the void tore open, revealing an enormous rift!