No one had expected things to turn out like this. Everyone had originally come to Celestial Star to deal with the Extraterrestrial Demons.
Yet before the fight had even properly begun, discord had broken out between two sides. Moreover, it was between the Maha Clan and Lu Yuan, whose thunderous fame had shaken the entire universe in recent days. Both were forces that no one dared provoke, and the current situation caught many off guard.
Admittedly, Jiang Ningxian and her companions understood Lu Yuan and knew his true intentions. Unfortunately, Mo Gang of the Maha Clan had targeted Lu Yuan right from the start. As for why, the onlookers had no idea, though it appeared he merely believed the young man’s reputation exceeded his actual strength.
Seeing the two seemingly poised to clash, some of the bystanders secretly hoped for a good show, even though they knew a full-blown brawl was unlikely to break out. The reason was simple: the most urgent matter at hand was dealing with the Extraterrestrial Demons. On this point, virtually everyone saw eye to eye.
Meanwhile, Mo Gang nodded upon hearing Lu Yuan's reply and said bluntly, "Very well, come with me then. Time is short, and we cannot afford to waste any more of it." With that, he led his clansmen and several powerhouses from other star domains away.
Seeing this, Lu Yuan offered no further comment and prepared to follow.
"We'll come with you," Jiang Ningxian spoke up immediately, worried something might go wrong. She could not help her concern. The Maha Clan hailed from one of the top ten star domains, possessing fearsome strength and unfathomable foundations. Furthermore, they were about to face the Extraterrestrial Demons; if anything went awry now, the consequences would be catastrophic. Even if she felt unable to contribute much, the prestige of the Jiang clan carried weight. The Maha Clan would surely have to give the Jiang clan some face.
Beside her, Jiang Haokong nodded as well, knowing they had to tag along under the circumstances. Jiang Feiyi, who had stayed on Celestial Star for a while and understood the lay of the land, prepared to go along too. Unlike the two siblings, however, he was genuinely worried that the two men might actually come to blows. Lu Yuan raised no objections, fully understanding what the three of them were thinking.
As for the rest of their retinue, there was no need for them to come; Lu Yuan instructed them to rest and recover. Having crossed the sea of stars for over a month, the others truly needed to rest, and everyone agreed.
Without delaying any further, they set off behind Mo Gang toward the scene of the incident.
Celestial Star was vast, but everyone setting out possessed a cultivation of at least the Grotto-Heaven Realm, so the journey did not take much time. Both Mo Gang and Lu Yuan appeared completely at ease, unbothered by the impending battle, whereas the two Jiang siblings and Jiang Feiyi felt rather tense.
"That senior from the Maha Clan has an exceedingly overbearing temper," Jiang Feiyi said on the way, his gaze carrying a touch of helplessness. "When he first arrived, he clashed with several people, and his combat strength is utterly terrifying. Though I've never met King Lu before, I've heard the tales about him. Whenever someone dares provoke him, he strikes decisively without leaving any leeway. The Eternal Clan and the Ji clan both suffered dearly under him."
Knowing the temperaments of both men, Jiang Feiyi could not help but worry. What if they started fighting each other while confronting the Extraterrestrial Demons?
"Your worries are the same as ours," Jiang Haokong chimed in from the side, feeling equally helpless. He had thought everyone would unite against their common enemy upon the demons' appearance, yet the Maha Clan had shown signs of actively stirring up trouble from the very beginning. Lu Yuan was never one to back down either, so a clash between them was a distinct possibility. That was what the three of them feared most—especially when they had only just set foot on Celestial Star.
"My worry is that if this Mo Gang keeps provoking him and infuriates Lu Yuan, he might just clean up Mo Gang right alongside the Extraterrestrial Demons," Jiang Haokong said with a wry smile. Having spent so much time with Lu Yuan, how could he not know the man's temperament?
Jiang Feiyi froze upon hearing this, blurting out, "Divine Son, Mo Gang's strength cannot be underestimated! While he may not compare to the truly supreme powerhouses, he made a name for himself across the starry sky long ago. How could King Lu possibly clean them both up together?"
He certainly recognized Lu Yuan's might and harbored no disdain toward him; the rumors from before clearly demonstrated the young man's peerless combat prowess. The problem was that, in Jiang Feiyi's eyes, Lu Yuan was still of the younger generation. No matter how formidable he was, there had to be a limit. Mo Gang was different: he was one of the Maha Clan's top experts and had once battled a Heavenly Position Immortal. Though the outcome had not been entirely favorable, that battle alone was enough to prove his terrifying strength. Lu Yuan had slain a Creation Immortal, which was indeed shocking, but that was all. Furthermore, Jiang Feiyi had never witnessed Lu Yuan fight with his own eyes.
The two siblings merely smiled upon hearing his reaction. It was true that anyone who had never seen Lu Yuan fight in person would possess some estimate of his strength, yet would never imagine just how monstrous he truly was. Mo Gang belonged to the Maha Clan and was an established powerhouse of the older generation, his renown deeply etched into people's minds.
In the end, Jiang Haokong merely chuckled. "When the time comes, you'll see." With that, he ignored Jiang Feiyi's reaction and continued forward, and Jiang Ningxian did the same.
Before long, the group halted. Mo Gang stood at the very front, his aura steadily surging. The violent power of his blood and vitality climbed higher and higher, like magma on the verge of erupting. Lu Yuan stood not far away without saying a word, carefully observing the vista ahead.
Before them stood a colossal mountain towering tens of thousands of zhang into the sky, flanked by an endless mountain range. By every metric, this expanse appeared majestic and extraordinary. Yet further in the distance, plumes of black mist churned ceaselessly, accompanied by terrifying arcs of crackling lightning. Almost everyone present could sense an impending crisis lurking within that black fog.
"This is Celestial Star's Juntian Mountain Range," Mo Gang spoke, his tone turning exceptionally solemn. "Though not critically vital, it cannot be allowed to fall into the hands of the Extraterrestrial Demons. The intelligence we received states that three Extraterrestrial Demons and a group of Celestial Clan experts are launching an assault here. Our objective is to force their retreat at the very least, or slay them if possible. Only then can we eliminate future troubles."
Mo Gang gazed toward the black mist. He had clearly devised a plan before departing and was now briefing everyone. His intent was straightforward: he would personally take on the three Extraterrestrial Demons, leaving the Celestial Clan powerhouses to the others. In truth, as long as he triumphed, their goal would surely be achieved.
As for Lu Yuan, Mo Gang issued no orders to him whatsoever before launching straight into action. The reason was simple: he did not view Lu Yuan as his subordinate, and bringing him along had merely been an impulse. Now that the true battle was at hand, he believed his own strength was all that was needed.
This caused Jiang Ningxian and her brother to exchange glances. They had not expected that Mo Gang would refrain from causing trouble for Lu Yuan at such a moment.
"It seems the Maha Clan has their priorities straight when it comes to major matters," Jiang Haokong remarked, catching on to Mo Gang's mindset. He was sharp enough to understand immediately, and he was quite familiar with the Maha Clan. Though seemingly arrogant, they were principled people—they merely possessed foul tempers. Jiang Haokong had genuinely worried that the two sides might fight, but things had turned out differently.
"Indeed," Jiang Feiyi said, letting out a sigh of relief. He had tagged along out of concern, but Mo Gang's conduct set his mind at ease.
Lu Yuan, on the other hand, paid no mind to any of this. He simply kept his eyes fixed forward, studying the situation. He had indeed slain an Extraterrestrial Demon before, but that alone meant little. He wanted to observe how others fought against these beings, and whether destiny power was truly mandatory to destroy such entities once and for all. As the saying went, to know one's enemy and oneself was to win a hundred battles without peril. Leaving Earth had not only been about advancing his cultivation, but more importantly, about understanding what kind of existence the Extraterrestrial Demons truly were.
"When do you plan to make a move?" Jiang Ningxian asked, stepping up beside Lu Yuan. She knew very well that he was not the type to sit on his hands, especially when confronting the Extraterrestrial Demons, so she wanted to know his exact plan.
"No rush. I want to see how things unfold first," Lu Yuan replied softly, his eyes calm and impassive.
Meanwhile, the battle had already begun upon the distant mountain range. Mo Gang led his clansmen without the slightest hesitation, charging straight into combat against the Extraterrestrial Demons. Just as the intelligence had reported, there were three Extraterrestrial Demons—three figures shrouded entirely in black mist—along with dozens of Celestial Clan experts, every single one of whom had reached the Immortal Realm. Black lightning crackled around them, and each radiated an immensely formidable aura. It was a terrifying force, yet Mo Gang did not hesitate in the slightest.
Stepping forward, he struck, unleashing a heaven-shaking surge of blood and vitality. That vitality burned a vivid, brilliant crimson, erupting like a detonating star!
Chapter 482