Lu Yuan returned to his room, gazing down at the ancient token in his hand.
He immediately contacted Zhu Qingyu and the others, instructing them not to disturb him unless something critical arose.
Only after settling these matters did he sit back down in the room, his expression turning solemn. Even so, Lu Yuan chose not to rush into refining it immediately.
Instead, he first focused on adjusting his condition. Refining the Ancient Heavenly Emperor Token was his top priority right now, and nothing could be allowed to go wrong during the process.
Just as during the last integration, he had felt as though he were journeying through the cosmos. Now that another token had been added, would there be unexpected variables?
Lu Yuan could not say for sure. Regardless, caution was never amiss.
Sitting cross-legged, Lu Yuan drew a deep breath and began adjusting his state using his visualization method and breathing method.
In the next instant, rays of light began to radiate from his body. His vitality and blood surged, though unlike before, it was no longer purely golden.
Even so, the power emanating from him seemed far more formidable than before, bearing a distinct aura.
At the same time, Lu Yuan's presence shifted as well, carrying a profound majesty capable of encompassing all things.
After all, he had already entered the Immortal Realm and was now making contact with the realm of Creation Immortals. This was no longer mere physical force, but the power of rules.
Consequently, the current Lu Yuan was completely different from his past self. As time passed, the aura he radiated grew increasingly powerful and dense.
Curiously, despite how terrifying this power was, it exerted hardly any oppressive force on his surroundings.
This was because, upon becoming a Grotto-Heaven Immortal, Lu Yuan's control over his own strength had reached a state of meticulous precision.
He could be as violent as heaven and earth splitting apart, yet also as gentle as rippling water—a realm that only true experts could master.
Before long, he brought himself into peak condition, his aura steadying completely.
This was Lu Yuan at his utmost prime, both in physical body and in soul. Feeling this readiness, he brought out the Ancient Heavenly Emperor Token.
Without any further hesitation, he began the integration.
*Buzz, buzz, buzz—*
In the next instant, a potent aura emanated from the token, accompanied by streams of violet light. The Ancient Heavenly Emperor Tokens within his mind began to resonate with it.
In a flash, the two began to merge, their radiant lights intertwining. It was at this exact moment that Lu Yuan found himself once more within the cosmos.
Around him stretched billions of stars, shining brilliantly, flickering between existence and oblivion—as if a vast world were being born, only to gradually wither away.
In truth, this sensation was exceedingly wondrous, entirely distinct from his visualization methods. Lu Yuan felt as though he truly stood amidst the starry skies.
All things appeared before him with absolute clarity. Amidst the sea of stars, he could even sense countless living beings, as though he held all of creation in his grasp.
Strands of mysterious auras abruptly manifested before him and merged into him. Because of this, Lu Yuan felt entirely detached from worldly bounds.
He seemed like an observer of this world, able to perceive everything with flawless clarity. Heaven and earth, the universe, and all myriad things fused with him.
"The Human Sovereign Heavenly Emperor was the supreme figure of this world. In uniting with heaven and earth, he also guarded them, keeping all changes within his grasp. Could he have felt this way as well?"
Suddenly, Lu Yuan seemed to gain an epiphany. He realized that the Ancient Heavenly Emperor Tokens served as a kind of medium.
Through them, one could truly unite with heaven and earth. Commanding destiny power was merely a secondary benefit.
With this realization, Lu Yuan began to immerse himself in contemplation. He was already at the peak of the Grotto-Heaven Immortal realm. Just one step remained to advance further, and that step lay in comprehending all creation.
Naturally, taking that step was immensely difficult. After reaching the Immortal Realm, merely increasing one's power was essentially pointless; one had to comprehend the diverse rules of the world.
The Ancient Heavenly Emperor Token provided precisely this opportunity. Combined with the Ancient Bodhi Tree he already possessed, which granted him astonishing comprehension, practically no one in this era could rival him in this regard.
And so, Lu Yuan immersed himself in this state, quietly absorbing every insight as time slipped away drop by drop.
Meanwhile, various changes were unfolding in the outside world.
The alliance between the Eternal Clan and the Ji clan was finalized.
Over half of the extraterrestrial beings chose to join them. Even without knowing what was being planned, they sensed that momentous events were looming. To ensure their own safety, they figured it was best to follow the lead of the two major powers for now, leaving future concerns for later.
Furthermore, several other of the top ten clans dispatched even stronger figures. Aside from the Eternal Clan, the Ji clan, the Jiang clan, the Bliss Star Sector, and the Heavenly Dragon Star Sector, five other star sectors—none of which were trifling powers—also entered Earth.
However, they made no unnecessary moves and refrained from interacting with any side, seemingly observing the situation.
Thus, Earth settled into a temporary peace once more, though no one knew how long it would last.
Naturally, Lu Yuan remained unaware of these developments for the time being, staying entirely focused on his secluded cultivation.
During this period, the sixth Ancient Heavenly Emperor Token was finally fully integrated.
It took longer than expected, but the benefits gained far exceeded Lu Yuan's imagination.
He discovered that this integration not only allowed him to take the most critical step from Grotto-Heaven Immortal toward Creation Immortal, but even more importantly, he seemed now able to actively draw upon the unique violet qi within the Ancient Heavenly Emperor Tokens.
In the past, Lu Yuan could also use it, but largely in a passive manner. For instance, it would only manifest when he reached a certain extremity or was on the verge of exhaustion.
It granted his combat strength a peculiar, indescribable boost. One thing was certain: this violet qi was an unpredictable power, much like the potential a person suddenly unleashed when pushed to the limit.
Being able to wield it actively was unquestionably a tremendous boon.
Moreover, after integrating the sixth token, his control over destiny power became significantly smoother.
If he were to empower himself with it again, he would not end up completely drained like last time.
In short, every integration of an Ancient Heavenly Emperor Token revealed new, wondrous applications that brought immense benefits to him.
And there was an even more crucial point.
During his secluded cultivation, when Lu Yuan attempted to fuse destiny power with that violet qi, he made an astounding discovery.
Chapter 430