To the Ji clan and the Eternal Clan, Lu Yuan's emergence was an unexpected anomaly.
Moreover, the man was far too arrogant, having slain members of their own clans. Neither faction had ever suffered such a monumental humiliation. They had taken a severe loss, yet currently possessed no means to settle the score. This was especially true for the Eternal Clan, who were notorious for retaliating over the slightest offense. Even if divine metal within their star sector fell into an outsider's hands, they would mobilize in force to reclaim it. Now their people had been killed, yet they could not even lift a hand in retribution. Despite their immense power, they were forced to temporarily lie low.
The Eternal Clan felt utterly stifled. Fortunately, this state of affairs would not last long. Lu Yuan would undoubtedly become a grave threat in the future, but once their plans were largely complete, they would be free to act. When that time came, they would make him repay them a hundredfold, a thousandfold.
"Is there any movement on the Jiang clan's side?" an expert from the Eternal Clan suddenly asked as a thought crossed his mind.
The Milky Way Star Sector was nothing to them, nor did they take the Heavenly Court seriously. Only Lu Yuan warranted attention; the rest were completely negligible and incapable of having any impact. After all, from beginning to end, this so-called Heavenly Court had never produced a single being of the Immortal Realm. Sending out a single Grotto-Heaven Immortal at random would suffice to wipe them out entirely. That was the power of deep heritage.
The Jiang clan, however, was different. As one of the ten great star sectors, their strength was formidable. They also possessed an existence as mighty as a Domain Lord, which demanded their utmost caution.
"That figure of the Jiang clan has already been wounded and will find it difficult to recover in the short term. The Jiang clan treats this as a looming disaster, and their core foundation remains stationed within the Desolate Flame Star Sector. Therefore, they will not disrupt our plans for the time being," an expert of the Ji clan replied. If the enemy had methods of gathering intelligence, they naturally did as well.
As long as the Jiang clan's core foundation remained dormant, there was little to worry about. Dealing with the Heavenly Court later would also be far simpler.
"We must still remain vigilant," the Eternal Clan expert said, shaking his head. "He is, after all, an existence on the level of a Domain Lord—a Supreme Immortal. Far too powerful. Even wounded, should he truly be provoked to fury, it would remain extraordinarily dangerous." An apex figure of the starry sky could not be so easily dismissed. Meanwhile, the Domain Lords of their two factions were currently hard-pressed to pull away. Vigilance was imperative.
"Then our plan must be carried out as quickly as possible," the Ji clan expert nodded, concurring with the thought.
With that, the two spoke no further and returned to their respective duties. The plan between the two clans had been in motion for a long time; they had simply lacked the opportunity to execute it previously, but now the time had arrived. Was the upheaval in the Milky Way Star Sector not an upheaval for the entire universe? To both clans, it presented an enormous opportunity.
As they drew closer, various changes began to unfold on Earth as well. These shifts were not in the land and mountains, but among the factions. With the active maneuvers of the Eternal Clan and the Ji clan, several extraterrestrial beings opted to form alliances. After all, everyone knew the two great factions were preparing a major move. Fear of the future drove the various races to believe that uniting might keep them safe from disaster.
As for the Jiang clan, they remained as before, seemingly oblivious to it all.
***
Inside a courtyard on Mount Tai, Lu Yuan sat cross-legged in a room. Surges of powerful vital blood churned within him, and rays of radiant light steadily diffused outward. The aura he emanated was even more formidable than before, seemingly bordering on a limit.
Soon, however, he opened his eyes, a flicker of helplessness surfacing within them. "As expected, even after finding the path and touching that barrier, breaking through into the Creation Immortal realm is still no simple task."
Earlier, Lu Yuan had believed that once he grasped certain insights, cultivation would become much easier, allowing him to break through to a higher realm in a single leap. The reality, however, differed from his expectations. Cultivation and evolution had indeed become somewhat smoother, but the critical issue remained: breaking through was still an arduous task. At least for now, no matter what efforts he made, he could not achieve it. *Must I truly take it step by step, after all?*
He could not help but feel a touch of helplessness. Rising to his feet, he stepped outside. Just then, Yinglong descended from Jade Emperor Peak.
"I have found the path to break into the Immortal Realm. I wish to depart and head for the Heavenly Dragon Star Sector," Yinglong said without preamble, its gaze exceptionally solemn. "Thank you for taking care of me during this time."
Back when it was hunted down, it was precisely the person before it who had rescued it from danger. Since then, Lu Yuan had provided an excellent cultivation environment on Mount Tai, freeing it from the perils of the outside world. To Yinglong, this was truly worthy of deep gratitude.
Hearing this, Lu Yuan smiled and replied softly, "No need for that. You have done plenty as well."
"It is not enough." Yinglong shook its head and continued, "I have two purposes in going to the Heavenly Dragon Star Sector. The first is to reach a higher realm. The second is to persuade my clansmen to assist the Milky Way Star Sector." It knew very well that the current situation in the Milky Way Star Sector was maintained solely by Lu Yuan alone. The Dragon Clan shared profound ties with this world, which could rightfully be called their ancestral home. Yinglong felt that Lu Yuan should not have to shoulder everything on his own. Under these circumstances, it had to find a way to assist from the side. While its own strength was limited, there was still the Dragon Clan, and indeed the entire Heavenly Dragon Star Sector. That was another reason for its departure.
"Thank you," Lu Yuan said at once. Though he had always placed his faith in his own strength and never thought of shifting critical burdens onto outsiders, he had to accept Yinglong's goodwill.
"Very well, then I will... take my leave." Yinglong nodded and said no more. It transformed directly into its true form, releasing a powerful aura before soaring straight into the sky. Before long, it vanished into the heavens, entering the starry cosmos.
Yinglong was already at the peak of the Great Saint realm. Crossing the starry sky posed no difficulty, and with its ancestral memories, it knew the exact location of the Heavenly Dragon Star Sector, leaving nothing to worry about.
Watching it leave, Lu Yuan smiled. He harbored no grand expectations that Yinglong could accomplish miracles, but if they could gain the assistance of the Heavenly Dragon Star Sector, it would certainly be for the best.
Without dwelling on it, he headed straight for Jade Emperor Peak on Mount Tai.
This was the gathering place of the Beast Kings. The Golden-Winged Great Peng, the Spirit Monkey, the Peacock King, and others were mostly gathered here. Their true names had all been inscribed upon the Investiture Decree, making them an integral part of the Heavenly Court's strength. At the same time, the Beast Kings' combat prowess was not to be underestimated, and they could rally all the mutated beasts of this world into battle. Lu Yuan's visit today was precisely to confer titles upon more mutated beasts once again.
Chapter 426