To beat the grass and startle the snake—relying solely on subordinates was never going to be enough. Even if they uncovered information, it would be limited.
Only by targeting the higher-ups could they hope to reach the core. Lu Yuan had planned for this long ago, but he also knew that if he intervened personally, the powerhouses of the two major factions would simply avoid his sharp edge.
He had left them no other choice. His previous display had been far too overwhelming.
He had slain even a Creation Immortal. Such a feat was bound to make many wary, frightening them away from making a move. Sending his subordinates to put the plan into motion had, in a sense, also been a way to lure the snakes out of their holes.
From the looks of it, the powerhouses of both factions had finally run out of patience. Otherwise, with Jiang Haokong's strength and cultivation as a Grotto-Heaven Immortal, very few in this world could have matched him. Yet now, even Jiang Haokong had vanished without a trace.
Lu Yuan knew it was time for him to step forward.
Beside him, hearing his words, Jiang Ningxian could not help asking, "What do you plan to do?"
A sudden thought struck her. Could all of this have been within his expectations from the very beginning? If that were truly so, it was terrifying to contemplate.
"I bestowed destiny power upon every member of the Heavenly Court," Lu Yuan explained after a moment of thought. "Even if the two major factions use their methods to seal heaven and earth, it means nothing to me. As long as I wish to find them, I will."
He paused, then added, "Besides, I suspect they are trying to draw me out as well."
The two factions would never move against the Heavenly Court lightly. Once they did, they were bound to have numerous contingencies prepared. In targeting Jiang Haokong, Zhu Qingyu, and the others, they were undoubtedly seeking a way to deal with him too. Doing all this would otherwise be meaningless.
Jiang Ningxian froze at his words.
Her thoughts raced, and she blurted out, "You mean... this is very likely a trap they set?"
She had felt all along that the two factions' movements were off, and now it seemed even more apparent. Once Lu Yuan pointed it out, she understood completely.
The Ji clan and the Eternal Clan had sent powerhouses down to subjugate the various territories. Yet because Lu Yuan's side had stepped in, their plans had been thwarted. Those Grotto-Heaven Immortals, and perhaps even Creation Immortals, were bound to be enraged. They would not tolerate it and were certain to strike back.
However, moving merely against the Heavenly Court's subordinates was far beneath their status. They would definitely take things a step further and target Lu Yuan himself. If they eliminated him, everything else would cease to be an obstacle.
Whatever their next plans were, they could carry them out without worry, resolving the problem once and for all.
After all, if she were in their shoes, she would do the exact same thing. Aside from a select few, the world's impression and estimate of Lu Yuan's strength was still pegged at the level of a Grotto-Heaven Immortal.
"If that's the case, your intervention this time is probably going to shock everyone," Jiang Ningxian said, finally grasping what Lu Yuan intended. He was seizing this opportunity to display his strength once more.
So what if the two major factions had laid a trap? This was hardly the first time they had tried such a scheme, and she did not believe they would succeed.
Jiang Ningxian possessed absolute confidence in Lu Yuan. In her eyes, once he made a move, whatever trap the two factions had devised would be shattered in an instant.
"No time to lose. I should be on my way," Lu Yuan said, rising to his feet. A powerful aura welled up from within him, surpassing anything he had shown before, and an air of absolute confidence radiated from his entire being.
Without another word, he gave a slight wave of his hand. The void tore open, and he stepped through.
Jiang Ningxian remained where she was, her eyes rippling with a faint smile. She knew he would succeed; there was no need for her to worry. Nor was there any need to follow him. Doing so would only create unnecessary complications.
With Lu Yuan stepping in, their enemies would at least be in the Grotto-Heaven Immortal Realm, and very likely Creation Immortals. All she needed to do was wait quietly.
***
Meanwhile, in the Hengduan Mountains.
Multiple immortals from the Eternal Clan and the Ji clan had locked down every path, sealing off heaven and earth.
Zhu Qingyu, Ice Fairy, and their companions had tried numerous methods, yet they remained unable to break through. Their strength was simply too lacking compared to these top-tier beings, so much so that the immortals of the two major factions did not take them seriously at all.
As time trickled by, the two women grew increasingly anxious. They had already deduced that the enemy was using them as bait to lure Lu Yuan out.
Under such circumstances, both were acutely aware of the danger. If the enemy succeeded, King Lu would be in grave peril. It was not that they lacked faith in Lu Yuan, but rather that if the enemy dared to act, they would surely have prepared a foolproof trap.
"Why hasn't Lu Yuan arrived yet?" an Undying Immortal of the Ji clan asked, his eyes filled with doubt.
"Could it be that he doesn't know what's happening here? Or is our sealing of heaven and earth preventing him from sensing where his subordinates are?"
If that were the case, their plan would likely fail.
"No, Lu Yuan's methods are far more formidable than we imagine," an Undying Immortal from the Eternal Clan replied, knowing that such a crude barrier would never suffice to fool him. "Even if we seal heaven and earth, we cannot hide it from him. All we need to do is wait in the shadows."
Although the patience of those present had worn thin—and their killing intent had flared as they watched Zhu Qingyu and the others repeatedly batter against the surrounding barrier—they ultimately suppressed the urge. These captives were bait, after all; if the bait died, it would inevitably disrupt their broader plan.
*Rumble! Boom!*
At that very moment, a sudden roar echoed through the void. Vast bolts of lightning materialized out of nowhere, raging across the cloud cover.
In the next instant, space itself shattered, opening a passage. A figure slowly stepped out from within.
A magnificent aura swept across the world, shaking heaven and earth. The restrictions that several dozen Undying Immortals from both factions had painstakingly laid down were shattered in an instant, utterly unable to withstand such power.
Shock gripped everyone present. Before anyone could react, a voice rang out:
"Were you looking for me?"
As the words fell, Lu Yuan strode leisurely out of the rift in the void.
His expression was as calm as ever, his hands clasped behind his back. Tall and upright, he seemed to support the very heavens and earth. The aura radiating from him was not wild or tempestuous, yet it was profoundly majestic.
Yes, majestic. His cultivation realm had already reached an extraordinary height, and this presence was the true, unadulterated aura of a supreme powerhouse.
Chapter 444