Originally, those members of the Celestial Clan had come under the lead of the three extraterrestrial heavenly demons. Their own strength was not particularly formidable, and the Maha Clan had firmly suppressed them.
It was only because they had absorbed that dark alien power that they had not been instantly routed, managing to hold out. In fact, all they had needed to do was hold the line until the three extraterrestrial heavenly demons emerged victorious. If that happened, their objective would be achieved without having to fight a life-and-death struggle.
Yet who could have foreseen that at the critical juncture, Lu Yuan would intervene and completely reverse the tide? They were left with no path of retreat, and with Jiang Ningxian and the others joining the fray, they stood even less of a chance. From an initial deadlock, they gradually fell into a disadvantaged position, and in the end, they were slain by the joint efforts of the group.
Once those Celestial Clan warriors were dead, it was all over.
The members of the Maha Clan still felt somewhat dazed. After all, this was hardly their first time taking part in such a major battle. Previously, every clash had been fraught with extreme peril, yet this one had ended in the blink of an eye, leaving them momentarily unable to process it.
Still, everyone knew full well that this outcome was entirely due to Lu Yuan. Before this, they had looked down on this supposed Lord of the Heavenly Court. Even if his fame preceded him alongside countless rumors, no one had actually witnessed him in action, had they?
Now, things were different. In a short span, he had slain three extraterrestrial heavenly demons outright. Such strength was truly terrifying.
He was clearly just a Creation Immortal, yet the immense power he displayed felt like the descent of a Heavenly Position Immortal. Thus, as the battle concluded, the gazes everyone directed toward Lu Yuan grew incomparably solemn.
It was as the saying went: in this universe, strength commanded ultimate respect. As long as one displayed sufficient might, they would earn everyone's deference, dispelling every shred of contempt.
Even Mo Gang was no exception. Seeing the battle draw to a close, he looked toward Lu Yuan and gave a slight nod. After a moment of hesitation, he spoke: "I was insolent earlier."
"If you harbor any dissatisfaction, speak freely. I am willing to pay the price for what I said." The strong could not be insulted; he knew his prior conduct had certainly been inappropriate, especially toward someone of such overwhelming prowess.
Had the roles been reversed, he certainly would not have let it slide so easily. Consequently, his words came entirely from the heart.
Yet hearing this, Lu Yuan merely shook his head.
"I didn't take it to heart."
He knew that from beginning to end, Mo Gang's hostility had not been directed at him personally, but rather stemmed from his use of the Heavenly Court's name. Moreover, Mo Gang had never sought to deliberately make things difficult for him, and had even spoken up to protect him when it mattered most.
From this, it was clear that while the Maha Clan possessed fierce tempers and aggressive dispositions, they were not unreasonable.
Therefore, Lu Yuan had no intention of dwelling on it; after all, there was truly no need.
"Thank you." Hearing this, Mo Gang's expression shifted. He understood that Lu Yuan's willingness to overlook the matter might be out of regard for the bigger picture, or perhaps because a truly formidable figure genuinely did not concern himself with trivialities.
By now, he was virtually certain that if the two of them came to blows, he would undoubtedly be no match. Remembering what he had said before, Mo Gang felt genuinely ashamed. The name of the Heavenly Court was indeed not something just anyone could appropriate, but now, at least in his eyes, Lu Yuan possessed both the qualification and the strength.
Meanwhile, Jiang Ningxian and the others walked over. Jiang Haokong wore a bright smile; the battle just now had truly lifted his spirits, as it had been quite a while since he had fought with such satisfaction.
As for Jiang Feiyi, he ultimately gave a slight bow toward Lu Yuan. "King Lu, not long ago, I too harbored reservations about your conduct. But now, it appears I was merely a frog viewing the sky from the bottom of a well. I hope King Lu can be magnanimous."
These words were equally heartfelt. He had truly never expected the other man's strength to be so monstrous. They seemed to belong to the same generation, yet upon closer reflection, the chasm between them was simply immense. It wasn't just him; everyone present felt they had misjudged him.
Lu Yuan, however, paid none of this any mind.
"Since the matter is resolved, we can leave now, right?" He could sense that there was no longer any lingering aura of extraterrestrial heavenly demons in the surroundings.
In other words, these renowned mountains and rivers were temporarily secured, curbing the enemy's momentum. Even so, Lu Yuan could not shake the feeling: if they continued using this method, could they truly succeed in the end? He remained skeptical.
"Indeed, we should leave as well. By my estimation, the Domain Lord should be returning soon," Jiang Feiyi said. Originally, his purpose in welcoming them had been to allow Lu Yuan and the others ample rest, yet who could have guessed such an incident would occur in between? Fortunately, everything had been weathered without true danger.
On the other front, the Domain Lord had been gone for some time. With his strength, he had typically resolved everything by now.
Without further words, the group chose to turn back. Unlike their arrival, however, Mo Gang and the rest of the Maha Clan now deferred to Lu Yuan as their vanguard. Such was the deference accorded to the strong, a respect well earned.
Jiang Ningxian and her brother had long grown accustomed to this. In their eyes, they no longer viewed Lu Yuan as someone of their own level, but rather as an expert who had already come into his own.
The group moved swiftly, soon drawing near that great hall once more.
Along the way, Lu Yuan listened to their explanations. This hall had originally been the Celestial Clan's headquarters, known as the Thunder Firmament Great Hall. Immense in scale, it governed everything within the entire star sector and was one of the Celestial Clan's ancestral grounds. However, when the extraterrestrial heavenly demons descended, the clan had chosen to submit to them. Now, this place had become the frontline where clans from various star sectors arrived to combat the invasion, gathering representatives from over a hundred prominent astral clans.
Even so, among the top ten star sectors, only two were present: the Jiang clan and the Maha Clan. These two clans were stationed on the Celestial Star, leading the various races in repelling the extraterrestrial heavenly demons.
And because an existence at the level of Domain Lord like Jiang Taiyu was holding the line, the current situation remained relatively stable.
"So among those extraterrestrial heavenly demons who descended, there are also beings comparable to the Supreme Immortal Realm?" Lu Yuan astutely caught the crucial point within their explanation and asked immediately.
Were it not for beings on par with the Supreme Immortal Realm, how could anyone have held back Jiang Taiyu?
"Indeed, and not just one, but many," Mo Gang replied. "Of course, some have not fully restored their strength. Because this universe's laws and mechanics differ from those beyond the border, descending took a tremendous toll on them, drastically weakening their power.
"At present, it takes several of them joining forces to contend against Senior Taiyu. As for these extraterrestrial powerhouses... by their own terminology, they belong to the Heaven Rank, which equates to the Supreme Immortal Realm."
Mo Gang clearly possessed considerable knowledge, particularly regarding the extraterrestrial heavenly demons. Their cultivation system differed from this world's; a Supreme Immortal was, in their parlance, a Heaven Rank powerhouse.
Naturally, those beings had only made an initial descent so far, so there was still much left unknown. This was precisely what worried many: even before the true supreme entities among the extraterrestrial heavenly demons had arrived, Domain Lord-level existences were already forced to take the field. What would happen later on?
Hearing this, Lu Yuan merely gave a silent nod. He knew matters were far from simple. Stripped of all other factors, this was ultimately a war between one world and another.
*Rumble!*
At that moment, a thunderous roar resonated, causing everyone present to halt in their tracks. Soon, several figures emerged, led by none other than the master of the Jiang clan, Jiang Taiyu.
Just like their first encounter, no overpowering aura emanated from his person. He stood in the void looking like an ordinary man, thoroughly refined and scholarly. Beside him stood experts from various clans, each bearing profound, robust auras. With every breath they drew, the air rumbled like rolling thunder.
Lu Yuan could tell that these individuals were basically Heavenly Position Immortals, ten of them in total.
Seeing this, Mo Gang and the others immediately bowed one by one. These were the pinnacle figures of the current universe, and their own clan elders stood among them; such deference was only natural.
"You should all head back and rest first." Jiang Taiyu did not exchange pleasantries immediately, instead instructing the surrounding experts to take their rest. Only then did he turn to Lu Yuan with a warm smile. "Little Friend Lu, we meet again."
Before Lu Yuan could reply, Jiang Haokong chimed in from the side, somewhat aggrieved: "Your son and daughter are here too, you know!"
These words immediately brought smiles to the faces of everyone around. Ever since arriving on the Celestial Star, a dark haze cast by the extraterrestrial heavenly demons had hung over them, forcing them to remain constantly on guard as they vied for control over renowned mountains and rivers. Jiang Haokong's quip instantly eased the heavy atmosphere.
Even Jiang Taiyu could not help shaking his head with a wry smile. "Yes, I know. But you and Xian'er should go rest for a while. Lu Yuan and I need to speak in private."
He naturally loved his son and daughter, but Jiang Taiyu knew that matters of great import took precedence. He was not merely a father, but the lord of a star domain, especially now as they faced the extraterrestrial heavenly demons.
Jiang Haokong was not unreasonable and promptly nodded. Jiang Ningxian made no further remarks either, departing alongside Mo Gang and the others.
"Senior," Lu Yuan said, turning toward him.
"This is no place to talk." Jiang Taiyu smiled and waved his hand. Instantly, space fractured, and the stars shifted.
When Lu Yuan could clearly perceive his surroundings once more, he found himself standing in an expanse of pure white space, having seemingly departed the Celestial Star.
"This is a pocket world I created; there is no need to worry." Jiang Taiyu's voice sounded at the appropriate moment. Standing before Lu Yuan, he appraised him briefly before remarking, "After not seeing each other for a time, Little Friend, you have grown far stronger than before. I imagine it won't be long before you attain the Heavenly Position Immortal Realm, will it?"
Chapter 485