In the eyes of the Eternal Clan and the Ji clan, Lu Yuan was provoking them again and again without cease.
It could be said that he had already touched upon their bottom line. Naturally, they wished to eliminate him as swiftly as possible, and had it been up to them, they likely would have struck this very instant. The Ji Clan Third Ancestor spoke with intense, suffocating killing intent. When the surrounding crowd saw this, everyone was shaken, wondering if an all-out battle was about to erupt so quickly.
The members of the Heavenly Court reacted at once, each releasing their own aura. Though they knew they were no match for the Immortal Realm, that did not stop them from being ready to fight.
To stand side by side with King Lu—even if it meant death, what did it matter? The cultivators from the great clans of other star sectors did not back away either. To them, whether the Heavenly Court or the two great factions won was of no consequence; as long as the situation descended into chaos, an opportunity would present itself for them to seize.
"Don't be rash. Remember our purpose here," someone from the Eternal Clan spoke up at that moment.
Countless pairs of eyes were watching right now. Once a major clash broke out, they would find themselves in a very passive position—especially if they engaged Lu Yuan directly, given that the Jiang clan was backing him.
They had to endure for now and settle matters later. Hearing this, the Ji Clan Third Ancestor knit his brows tightly. He knew very well that they truly could not afford to act on impulse. The Heavenly Court's current strength appeared modest on the surface, but Lu Yuan was far too difficult to deal with. After all, in that previous clash, he had directly shattered the projections of two Dao Protectors.
Even knowing that had merely been borrowed, temporary power, it still inspired immense dread.
"Hmph." Ultimately, he let out a cold snort, making no further move. He simply stood quietly where he was, no longer engaging in verbal sparring, for a battle between them would come sooner or later.
There was no rush; the time was not yet right.
Seeing the two great factions hold back, the beings present found it somewhat incredible.
The two great factions had always acted with utter impunity, fearing nothing. Their foundations and strength were simply too formidable, and no one ever dared to cross them. Yet now, when confronted with a direct provocation, they had actually chosen to yield. In the eyes of the onlookers, this was astonishing and hard to believe.
Yet this only deepened everyone's conviction that the Milky Way Star Sector had truly risen to power—to the point where even factions from the top ten star sectors had to treat it with the utmost gravity.
"And here I thought they were so overbearing. How dull," Jiang Haokong muttered, feeling disappointed when he saw the two factions do nothing.
He was a warmonger by nature, and coming out this time, he had long been rubbing his fists, eager for a fight. Who would have thought things would end up like this?
The surrounding Jiang clan members were rendered speechless. Even if one wanted to fight, they had to choose the right moment. Right now, no one dared to act recklessly, yet he could barely contain himself. How could he lead the Jiang clan in the future like this?
Involuntarily, the Jiang clan members shifted their gazes between Lu Yuan and Jiang Ningxian, a contemplative look appearing on their faces.
In their eyes, Lu Yuan was exceptionally outstanding in strength, talent, and every other aspect. One could almost say he had propped up the entire Milky Way Star Sector single-handedly. And looking at them now, he seemed an exquisite match for their Holy Maiden.
"When do the two great factions plan to make their formal move?" Lu Yuan asked without wasting words, glancing at Jiang Ningxian beside him.
"According to the information we obtained, the Ancient Heavenly Emperor Token seems set to appear of its own accord. That should be when the scramble begins," she replied, though she naturally could not guarantee the news was entirely true.
The Ancient Heavenly Emperor Token was extraordinary and could not be measured by conventional logic, so nothing was certain.
A great battle seemed to have indeed erupted at Mount Emei during a certain period. However, in his previous life, he had been far too weak and could not obtain any relevant information. So, had it been because of the Ancient Heavenly Emperor Token?
Lu Yuan pondered the thought, though he could not be sure either. The global revival and transformation had brought about far too many events; even he could not possibly know everything. Still, what they needed to do now was simple: wait. Since both factions had arrived, nothing could go wrong.
As time ticked by, more and more extraterrestrial beings gathered around. The atmosphere over Mount Emei grew increasingly tense, for many from the Immortal Realm had already appeared, while others were observing from the shadows, clearly planning to take advantage of the chaos when it erupted.
One could say that the news of the Ancient Heavenly Emperor Token had drawn almost everyone here. Yet all of this was only on the surface; even stronger existences were bound to be present. For instance, the two great factions surely had more than just the forces present here. The coming battle would undoubtedly be the fiercest seen to date.
At a certain moment, Lu Yuan suddenly looked toward a particular direction. He sensed that the Ancient Heavenly Emperor Token inside his body seemed to be vibrating. And the source of that resonance lay right within the countless peaks of Mount Emei.
*It's coming out,* he thought to himself, then turned his gaze toward the two factions.
The experts of the Eternal Clan and the Ji clan suddenly stirred as well. The direction they were paying attention to was the exact same one Lu Yuan had noticed. This struck him as odd. He knew because he held an Ancient Heavenly Emperor Token inside him, allowing for mutual perception. But what were the two factions relying on? Could it be that they also held an Ancient Heavenly Emperor Token in their possession?
*Rumble—*
Just as Lu Yuan fell into thought, thunderous booms erupted from the void, and the earth below began to shake violently. An inexplicable aura swept outward in turbulent waves, casting the entire sky into a gloomy twilight.
"What's happening?"
"Could the Ancient Heavenly Emperor Token be appearing?"
"It must be! Quick, get ready—we must get our hands on it!"
Those who had remained composed until now began to grow agitated. As for their earlier fear of offending the two great factions, it was thrown entirely to the wind. Everyone knew that the Ancient Heavenly Emperor Token might represent an immense destiny; if they could obtain it, everything would change. It might even propel their star sector into the ranks of the top ten.
Of course, those who thought this way generally believed there was only a single Ancient Heavenly Emperor Token. Only those who truly understood knew that to unleash its full might, all of them had to be gathered together. And those who knew naturally understood even better what the token represented: the Human Sovereign and the Heavenly Emperor. Even if it were merely a legend, it was still worth fighting for with their lives.
*Rumble—*
Accompanied by another colossal crash, the hundred thousand towering mountains of Mount Emei shook in rolling tremors. At its core, a golden pillar of light soared straight into the heavens.
A formidable aura swept through the area in an instant, as if capable of breaking through all barriers. And there, within that pillar of light, everyone saw an ancient token bobbing gently up and down!
Chapter 404