Within the vast, boundless expanse, two figures stood facing each other.
When Jiang Taiyu spoke, his voice was not loud, yet it carried a faint smile and a hint of astonishment. The reason was simple: during their previous meeting, the young man's cultivation, while formidable, had not been enough to truly command his attention. After all, while Grotto-Heaven Immortals could not be considered abundant in this universe, neither were they scarce.
Naturally, Lu Yuan was unlike ordinary practitioners, but as a Domain Lord, Jiang Taiyu had seen far too many mighty beings.
Even so, in his eyes, Lu Yuan was an astonishing youth. Achieving such heights in so short a time was something no ordinary genius could accomplish. At the very least, Jiang Taiyu had never encountered anyone whose cultivation and evolution progressed faster.
Now, meeting once again, he was shocked anew. Lu Yuan had grown stronger still—not merely in cultivation stage, but in aura and sheer combat prowess.
As one of the supreme existences in the present universe, Jiang Taiyu possessed discernment far beyond the reach of ordinary men. He had seen through Lu Yuan at a single glance.
Lu Yuan made no attempt to conceal it, nodding in acknowledgment. "Indeed, Senior. However, reaching the Heavenly Position Immortal stage will likely take some time. My purpose in leaving Earth and venturing into the outer starry skies was precisely to seek enlightenment in that regard—to attain a higher realm and become a Heavenly Position Immortal in short order."
He stated his objective openly, seeing no reason to hide it. The two had established a partnership long ago, and trust between them was beyond doubt.
"I know," Jiang Taiyu remarked with deep sentiment. "Your growth has truly exceeded my expectations. I have already heard of what transpired in the Juntian Mountain Range. Slaying three Extraterrestrial Demons whose strength approached the Heaven Rank entirely on your own—none among your peers can compare."
In truth, Jiang Taiyu had heard of Lu Yuan long before. Because of his daughter, he had kept an eye on him, though he had not taken it to heart back then. The cosmos harbored far too many chosen prides. As one of the paramount figures of the era, not every talent merited his enduring attention.
Yet the young man before him was entirely different. Lu Yuan had risen at an unimaginable pace, and what was even more terrifying was that he had handed repeated defeats to both the Ji clan and the Eternal Clan.
Such a feat was unprecedented. Seeing him now, even more powerful than before, Jiang Taiyu felt that attaining the Supreme Immortal Realm in the future was merely a matter of time for him.
"Senior flatters me." Lu Yuan did not dwell on the praise. After a brief pause, he asked, "However, Senior, there is something I do not quite understand. Is it not said that the Supreme Immortals of our universe correspond to what the Extraterrestrial Demons call the Heaven Rank? Yet the three I killed were not even at the level of Heavenly Position Immortals. How could they be referred to as Heaven Rank?"
He harbored many questions regarding the evolution and cultivation hierarchy of the Extraterrestrial Demons, and this senior before him clearly knew far more. It was the perfect opportunity to seek clarity.
"In truth, in the universe of the Extraterrestrial Demons, anyone who reaches the Immortal Realm may be called Heaven Rank," Jiang Taiyu explained patiently. "Of course, by their own standards, that is merely a Pseudo-Heaven Rank. Only a Supreme Immortal is considered a True Heaven Rank.
"The specifics are quite intricate. However, in the Endless Universe, existences surpassing the Heaven Rank—which is to say, above the Supreme Immortal Realm—are broadly termed Quasi-Sovereigns. Beyond that lies the Sovereign Realm Heavenly Lord."
He revealed the stages beyond the Immortal Realm, collectively designated the Sovereign Realm, though gradations existed within it: first Quasi-Sovereign, followed by Sovereign Realm Heavenly Lord. These were existences beyond the Supreme Immortal Realm of this world, as well as the realm above the Heaven Rank among the Extraterrestrial Demons.
Moreover, Jiang Taiyu had introduced a new term: the Endless Universe. This was something he had never mentioned before, indicating that during this intervening period, the Domain Lord had investigated many matters and uncovered deeper secrets.
"The Endless Universe?" Lu Yuan asked, his interest thoroughly piqued.
Jiang Taiyu knew what he wished to ask and elaborated. After all, he had intended to impart many of these truths to Lu Yuan during this meeting.
As it turned out, their universe was not the sole world. It was merely one universe among many, just as the Milky Way Star Sector was merely one part of the starry sky.
The true overarching world was known as the Endless Universe, and within it existed numerous smaller universes.
For instance, the domain they inhabited was called the Xuanhuang Universe, whereas the Extraterrestrial Demons hailed from what they called the Qitian Universe.
Consequently, all Extraterrestrial Demons could also be referred to as the Qitian Clan. Unlike the Xuanhuang Universe, which was home to myriad races, the Qitian Universe contained only a single clan. Yet this solitary race ranked among the foremost forces across the entire Endless Universe.
They roamed the various realms, devouring worlds to empower themselves. The Qitian Clan had coveted the Xuanhuang Universe for ages, constantly plotting to consume it, though their efforts had repeatedly ended in failure.
Thanks to ancient sages and the Human Sovereign Heavenly Emperor, the Qitian Clan's ambitions had always been thwarted. Now, however, they had returned in force, preparing once more to devour the Xuanhuang Universe.
Listening to this, Lu Yuan felt overwhelmed by the sheer scale of the revelation. Though he had mentally prepared himself, hearing it firsthand still left him momentarily dazed.
At the beginning, his world had been just Earth, then a star sector, then the vast cosmic expanse. Now, the scope had expanded to the Endless Universe.
According to Jiang Taiyu's explanation, the Endless Universe was the ultimate realm, the greatest cosmos accessible to all living beings. As the name implied, "Endless" encompassed everything in existence.
"Telling you all this at once may be difficult to digest," Jiang Taiyu said, perceiving his thoughts. He refrained from revealing everything in one breath, knowing a person needed time to absorb such truths. Lu Yuan understood as well that dwelling excessively on the matter was pointless for now.
Even so, the conversation broadened his perspective immensely. Beyond this world lay the Endless Universe, and above the Immortal Realm lay even mightier stages. In short, he still had a long path to tread.
"Senior, you invited me here for a private conversation. Surely it was not solely to tell me this?" Putting his reflections aside, Lu Yuan spoke up, aware there had to be another purpose. Otherwise, there would have been no need to bring him into this isolated pocket of space.
"Indeed," Jiang Taiyu nodded. "I suspect that aside from the Ji clan, the Eternal Clan, and the Celestial Clan, other star sectors have allied with the Extraterrestrial Demons. Those factions have simply not accepted their dark power. They lurk around us, gathering intelligence. That is why I wished to speak with you alone.
"You carry the Ancient Heavenly Emperor Tokens. Those artifacts likely possess tremendous power against the Extraterrestrial Demons. Therefore, I hope you will exercise extreme caution whenever you employ them."
At this point, Jiang Taiyu sighed and continued, "I believe that if the Extraterrestrial Demons learn of them, they will target you relentlessly. At present, only a vanguard has descended. Next time, existences surpassing the Heaven Rank will likely arrive. From here on, unless absolutely necessary, you must not use the Ancient Heavenly Emperor Tokens."
In the distant past, the Extraterrestrial Demons had suffered heavily at the hands of the Human Sovereign Heavenly Emperor, seeing their grand designs reduced to ruin. Under such circumstances, anything tied to the Human Sovereign Heavenly Emperor would draw their utmost vigilance. Jiang Taiyu was warning him out of genuine concern.
"I understand," Lu Yuan replied, grasping the gravity of the situation. Though he had triumphed against the Extraterrestrial Demons in battle, their truly powerful figures had not yet descended. In truth, they were merely probing the waters, or perhaps the opportune moment for their full arrival had not yet come.
It was also possible they feared some lingering power within this world, given the catastrophic losses they had suffered in the past. In their renewed campaign, they would proceed with extreme care; otherwise, they would not have resorted to various schemes to recruit the Ji clan and the Eternal Clan just to ensure smoother progress.
Lu Yuan could well imagine that after going to such lengths, the Extraterrestrial Demons were determined to succeed this time.
"Aside from that, there is one more matter," Jiang Taiyu added. "Including the one I gave you previously, you should possess seven Ancient Heavenly Emperor Tokens by now, correct?"
"Yes, Senior," Lu Yuan nodded. Very few people knew of this, and Jiang Taiyu was one of them.
"Aside from wanting to share these secrets, the main reason I invited you here was this: I have uncovered news regarding the eighth Ancient Heavenly Emperor Token."
Beside him, Lu Yuan's gaze shifted subtly. As more Ancient Heavenly Emperor Tokens gathered within his body, he had come to appreciate their profound significance—both for his cultivation and evolution, and in other realms. More importantly, he knew they held an even greater purpose, one he was not yet capable of unlocking.
Even so, gathering all the Ancient Heavenly Emperor Tokens was of paramount importance to him. Naturally, hearing this news stirred his resolve.
Chapter 486