Even the Master of the Jiang Clan had made a move? Upon hearing the news, Lu Yuan could not help feeling shocked, having clearly not expected this.
After all, he was one of the absolute top powerhouses in the entire starry sky, his cultivation having already reached the fifth realm of Immortality.
He was an invincible figure in every sense of the word. Yet now, he was taking action in person. Clearly, he, too, realized the gravity of the situation, given that extraterrestrial heavenly demons were involved.
"If that's the case, it seems all we can do is wait for news," Lu Yuan replied at last. With even the Master of the Jiang Clan stepping in, waiting for word was indeed all he could do for now.
They had to see what the two Domain Lords of the Eternal Clan and the Ji clan were up to. If it had nothing to do with the extraterrestrial heavenly demons, it would not matter as much. But if it was related, they had to treat it with the utmost gravity.
For figures of that caliber to be drawn in, who knew what catastrophic event might unfold?
"Yes. As soon as there is news from my father, I'll inform you immediately," Jiang Ningxian nodded. She genuinely had not anticipated this either.
To think her father would personally venture out. In the past, no matter what transpired, he had always treated everything with absolute composure.
It went without saying that the matter was of paramount importance. At the same time, she suspected her father might know far more than he let on.
"Right," Lu Yuan said, as if struck by a thought. "We also need to dispatch people to guard places with Nine-Color Altars, like the Kunlun Secret Realm. However, for safety's sake, staying on the periphery will suffice." He needed to keep tabs on the movements there at all times, rather than remain completely in the dark.
Who knew when the seal on the Nine-Color Altars might suddenly be broken? Keeping watch was essential.
"Don't worry," Jiang Ningxian smiled and replied. "I've already arranged for that." She knew that on a matter like this, they could not afford the slightest carelessness.
Especially given her father's reaction, caution was even more necessary. Fortunately, the crisis would not erupt immediately, leaving them some time.
Shortly after, Lu Yuan and Jiang Ningxian exchanged a few more words before parting ways. Jiang Ningxian continued to gather information through the Jiang clan, while Lu Yuan cultivated and evolved while monitoring the growth of the Heavenly Court's members. In short, neither remained idle. Time slipped away bit by bit.
Three months passed in the blink of an eye. Among the ranks of the Heavenly Court, more and more members reached the Saint Realm. Some had even broken through straight into the Great Saint Realm, showing remarkably apparent progress.
Yet no one had stepped into the Immortal Realm. Even Yinglong, the strongest among them, remained lingering at the Great Saint Realm.
It was simply too difficult. For anyone, that realm represented a sublime transformation; breaking through with ease was utterly impossible.
Because of this, those who had already entered the Great Saint Realm revered Lu Yuan all the more.
After all, they knew full well that not long after Lu Yuan reached the Great Saint Realm, he had stepped directly into the Immortal Realm—and in the midst of a fierce battle, no less. Such capability might not have seemed as striking back then, but reflecting on it now, it was truly terrifying.
Naturally, Lu Yuan did not think much of it. To reach where he stood today, he had made every conceivable preparation, never slacking in the slightest even afterward. He did not hold the members of the Heavenly Court to excessive standards, knowing they had been given far too little time. After all, even Jiang Ningxian and her brother had prepared for a very long time before stepping into the Immortal Realm.
Furthermore, after entering the Grotto-Heaven Realm, Lu Yuan himself felt that taking another step upward was extraordinarily difficult.
Putting aside the crisis of the extraterrestrial demons, there were still the Eternal Clan and the Ji clan lineage. Those two factions would certainly not let past grievances rest. Sooner or later, every score would be settled. While Lu Yuan seemed immensely powerful now, in reality, before Domain Lord–level figures, he still amounted to very little. Thus, he continued to cultivate and evolve relentlessly, never slacking in the slightest.
During this time, he also discovered that the purple qi emanating from the Ancient Heavenly Emperor Token was extraordinary. Even as it continuously strengthened his physique and soul, it also helped him comprehend various insights during his cultivation, such as the road ahead.
Coupled with the innate comprehension bestowed by the Ancient Bodhi Tree, as time passed, Lu Yuan began to realize what kind of process one had to undergo to advance from a Grotto-Heaven Immortal to a Creation Immortal.
A grotto-heaven was equivalent to carving out a separate space. Yet that space was dead. Not only was it devoid of living beings, but not even a single plant or blade of grass could exist. Therefore, the next step was to create things within that space. Just like when he had faced that Ji clan existence who stood in the Creation Immortal Realm—with a casual grasp of a hand, a massive star was formed. Such a method was nothing short of miraculous. That was the progression from Grotto-Heaven to Creation. To create, one had to understand those things. In other words, one had to understand all things in heaven and earth. If you did not understand them, how could you possibly create them?
Of course, even upon truly reaching the Creation Immortal Realm, one could only create inanimate objects. Still, that was already formidably powerful, and it was toward this realm that Lu Yuan strove forward.
With the blessings granted by the Ancient Bodhi Tree and the Ancient Heavenly Emperor Token, Lu Yuan began to study all things under heaven, down to every blade of grass and every tree. He truly wanted to reach a higher realm as early as possible, yet deep down he knew this could not be rushed. Hence, in the time that followed, he was exceptionally patient. Having walked such a long path already, a little more time made no difference. Furthermore, no new word had arrived from the Jiang clan.
Yet to truly understand every blade of grass and tree, staying solely on Mount Tai would not do. Compared to the world as a whole, this place was simply too small. Therefore, after attending to necessary matters and leaving instructions, Lu Yuan chose to travel across different regions. Ever since establishing the Heavenly Court, he had spent most of his time in seclusion or in battle, without the opportunity to explore the world following the global transformation.
Of course, Lu Yuan had already known much of it in his previous life, having struggled at the very bottom then. But now, walking across these mountains and rivers, he possessed an entirely different mindset. Several years had passed since the global upheaval. Yet this life was unlike the last. The people of this world were no longer suppressed by extraterrestrial beings, nor did they struggle in bitter despair. With the Heavenly Court's presence, those extraterrestrial entities dared not overstep by half a step. Thus, though conflicts still arose across the land, ordinary humans were spared from being dragged into them. Lu Yuan knew that this was perhaps the very purpose of establishing the Heavenly Court. How blameless were the common folk? Of course, it was not that he sought to actively protect everyone, but rather that within his power, he would do what he could.
Chapter 420