This was the latest news delivered by Jiang Ningxian. The seventh Ancient Heavenly Emperor Token was a gift from the Domain Lord of the Heavenly Dragon Star Sector.
Jiang Taiyu had then entrusted his subordinates to deliver it to the Milky Way Star Sector. Several months had passed during the journey. While it seemed like a long time, it was actually remarkably swift.
After all, the Heavenly Dragon Star Sector was exceedingly far away, and it was impossible for an existence of the Domain Lord caliber to deliver it in person.
When Lu Yuan heard the news, his eyes lit up. During his recent seclusion, despite exhausting every effort and growing stronger, his cultivation realm had seen no significant breakthrough.
There was simply no shortcut. This was the Creation Realm, and taking another step forward required time, even for someone of his caliber.
Granted, he knew that if he simply persevered like this, a breakthrough was inevitable in the near future. The crux of the matter, however, was that Lu Yuan did not have that kind of time; he had to be fast.
Breaking through had to happen as early as possible. He had already attempted all previous avenues, yet reaching the Heavenly Position Immortal realm in a short span remained difficult.
Now that the Ancient Heavenly Emperor Token had arrived, it would surely lend him a vital hand. Shortly thereafter, he met with Jiang Ningxian, who produced an ancient token without hesitation.
It was indeed an Ancient Heavenly Emperor Token, identical in size and covered in the same intricate patterns as the ones Lu Yuan had obtained before.
More importantly, the moment this object appeared, the ancient tokens within his body reacted in kind, emanating the exact same source energy. Merging it would undoubtedly bring about tremendous changes.
"This is the seventh token." Looking at the ancient token before him, Lu Yuan smiled. Even for someone like him, being able to gather this item a day sooner was something to celebrate.
Although he still did not know just how many Ancient Heavenly Emperor Tokens existed in total, collecting one more meant there was one less remaining to find.
"Indeed, the seventh token," Jiang Ningxian spoke beside him. "My father said that regardless of the Heavenly Dragon Star Sector Domain Lord's motives for bestowing this Ancient Heavenly Emperor Token, you must accept it."
"This item may well be the most crucial component for dealing with the future Great Tribulation and the Extraterrestrial Demons." She relayed her father's words, the underlying meaning abundantly clear.
He considered the Ancient Heavenly Emperor Token paramount. Therefore, no matter what, Lu Yuan had to secure it. After all, Jiang Taiyu knew that Lu Yuan already possessed several and could actively channel the power within them. The Extraterrestrial Demons were beings that even Domain Lords held in immense dread, even if they had never laid eyes upon them.
The reason was quite simple: their power could bolster the strength of the Domain Lords from the Eternal Clan and the Ji clan, offering them the possibility of further advancement.
From this alone, one could infer that the Extraterrestrial Demons were undoubtedly stronger than Domain Lords. Otherwise, how could the power they bestowed produce such an effect?
"I understand what your father means." Lu Yuan nodded. In truth, his thoughts aligned closely with Jiang Taiyu's.
Relying on the strength of a single person to confront the Extraterrestrial Demons was utterly impossible. The Ancient Heavenly Emperor Tokens might very well be the turning point, which was one of the reasons he sought to gather them. Now that he had reached the seventh token, it marked another step forward for him.
"Go into seclusion. I won't disturb you any further," Jiang Ningxian said. She knew he needed to integrate this Ancient Heavenly Emperor Token, which would require ample time, and she had other matters to attend to as well.
Lu Yuan had no objections. The two exchanged a nod and parted ways to attend to their respective affairs.
Watching Jiang Ningxian's departing back, Lu Yuan did not immediately return. Instead, he stood in place for a brief moment.
Then he returned to his quarters and brought out the seventh Ancient Heavenly Emperor Token. A soft buzzing hum arose. As if sensing that its integration was imminent, a halo of light radiated from the ancient token, and runes emerged one after another, encircling it.
Within his body, the five previously integrated ancient tokens resonated in the same manner. Even the Investiture Decree and the vast destiny power seemed to hum in harmony with it.
Lu Yuan knew it was time to begin the fusion. Without hesitation, he first adjusted his state of being. Because he had already been in seclusion, this process took very little time—barely half a day to complete.
With all preparations made, he initiated the fusion directly. A hum and a rumble rose in tandem—two distinct sounds surfacing together.
Runes swirled around Lu Yuan's body. His potent, magnificent aura could no longer be contained.
This power was inherently his own; it had merely been held in reserve until now. Now fully unleashed, it made Lu Yuan appear like a true celestial immortal.
Boundless brilliance surged around him like a draped garment of golden feathers. Had any outsider witnessed it, they would have stayed far away in reverence, not daring to approach.
At this moment, the integrated ancient tokens inside his body and the newly acquired token exuded a special energy belonging to the very same source. Their merging caused the destiny power upon the Investiture Decree to surge wildly, while a peerless aura churned continuously.
At that exact instant, Lu Yuan discovered that a river of stars had materialized before him once more.
Brought forth by the fusion of the Ancient Heavenly Emperor Token, stars flickered into being and vanished into nothingness. Countless things continually came into existence within the river of stars, only to be destroyed, repeating in an endless cycle.
This scene was largely identical to what he had witnessed once or twice before, something Lu Yuan had observed many times. Yet observing it this time brought a completely new sensation.
He was no longer confined to merely witnessing the creation and destruction of matter—aspects tied to Creation. Now, Lu Yuan saw the process itself: the flickering extinction of worlds, the emerging birth of all things. What force was driving it all?
No one knew, yet it was undeniably the laws and development of this heaven and earth—a certain guiding principle governing the operation of everything in the universe.
"So, a Creation Immortal comprehends emergence and extinction, while the Heavenly Position transcends them to observe their operation?" Inevitably, many thoughts crossed Lu Yuan's mind, and a look of contemplation appeared on his face.
Previously, along his path of cultivation and evolution, an excess of urgency had compromised his mindset. But now, the process of integrating the seventh Ancient Heavenly Emperor Token allowed him to calm down completely, enabling him to truly begin comprehending where the essential difference between a Heavenly Position Immortal and a Creation Immortal lay.
The Heavenly Position meant detaching oneself on the outside, observing the operating laws of the world and drawing enlightenment from them. Prior to that realm, one remained merely within it. Between the two lay a fundamental distinction.
As Lu Yuan pondered continuously, brand-new insights unfolded within his mind.
Chapter 456