As Lu Yuan joined the fray, the tide of battle completely turned.
His performance was simply too terrifying. The Celestial Clan's Grotto-Heaven Immortals, and even their Creation Immortals, seemed utterly powerless before him. In the span of a few breaths, they were struck down one after another, throwing the Celestial Clan into a steep disadvantage.
Everything unfolded so swiftly that no one present had time to process it, each staring in stunned disbelief. Nobody had anticipated that such an overwhelming powerhouse would abruptly appear and, with unstoppable might, butcher his opponents wholesale.
The Celestial Clan's Domain Lord and their veteran elders could hardly believe their eyes. Aside from the Mohe Clan, Jiang Ningxian and her brother, and the small handful of others who already knew Lu Yuan's strength, everyone else was thoroughly shocked—though that shock soon turned into ecstatic excitement.
Lu Yuan's entrance had given them the upper hand, and as a result, everyone's confidence surged for the battle ahead. Such was the role and deterrent of a supreme powerhouse: striking terror into the enemy while fueling the fighting spirit of allies.
With renewed vigor, the various clans unleashed their strength once more. In terms of cultivation, they were at least in the Grotto-Heaven Immortal Realm. Anyone possessing such strength was undeniably a genius, and within moments, they began pushing the lines back. Previously, both sides had been evenly matched, but Lu Yuan had shattered the stalemate, and the allied forces seized the opportunity without hesitation.
"We cannot allow this man to continue," the Celestial Clan's Domain Lord growled, murderous intent flaring in his eyes.
Leaving everything else aside, merely watching his own clansmen being slaughtered was enough to infuriate him to no end. He wanted to dispatch reinforcements or even take the field himself as a Heavenly Position Immortal to suppress and execute Lu Yuan. However, Jiang Taiyu had also brought Heavenly Position Immortals on this expedition.
Naturally, they would not grant him the chance. Everyone knew full well that if the Celestial Clan's Domain Lord were permitted to intervene, the consequences would be dire; someone of comparable strength had to hold him in check. In simple terms, it was generals against generals, soldiers against soldiers. Otherwise, a Heavenly Position Immortal could practically massacre everyone present—just as Lu Yuan was single-handedly altering the entire battlefield.
Consequently, the Celestial Clan was pushed onto the back foot. The Extraterrestrial Demons were likewise pinned down by Jiang Taiyu, unable to provide support. As time slipped by, control over the entire Lei Ji Mountain Range began to shift.
This had been Jiang Taiyu's exact objective from the start: to launch a proactive offensive and seize this land. Against all odds, that goal was truly about to be accomplished. Especially for the Celestial Clan, having no one capable of standing against Lu Yuan, they were practically slaughtered in droves throughout this process, devoid of even the slightest ability to resist.
"How could this happen?" In the distance, the Celestial Clan's Domain Lord muttered in disbelief.
To think their enemies had genuinely succeeded in their counterattack! So many of his clansmen had perished, all of them elite members. Although the Celestial Clan boasted vast numbers, those who could cultivate to such heights were exceedingly rare, even after receiving power from the Extraterrestrial Demons. He desperately wanted to turn the tables, but he was powerless to do so; the battle had already slipped beyond recovery.
Deep down, he kept wondering who Lu Yuan could possibly be. Where had Jiang Taiyu found such a monstrous cultivator? The Domain Lord racked his mind, yet could think of no powerhouse in the starry sky who matched him.
Rumble!
Just then, the void trembled violently. Several figures plummeted from the heavens beyond—the Extraterrestrial Demons, five in total. They, too, had fallen into a disadvantage during their duel against Jiang Taiyu.
Without hesitation, one of the Extraterrestrial Demons barked, "This place cannot be held. Let us withdraw!"
They clearly understood that dragging the fight out would only result in severe injuries to themselves. With both battlefronts collapsing, the most sensible choice was to pull back and plot a comeback later.
Upon hearing this, the Celestial Clan Domain Lord's expression changed drastically. "Milord, this is the last ancestral land of my Celestial Clan! We cannot surrender it so easily!"
He said this partly because the Lei Ji Mountain Range was their main ancestral seat, but more importantly, he knew the Ancient Heavenly Emperor Token was located here. If they retreated now, what a catastrophic loss that would be!
Of course, he could never utter that second reason aloud. At this stage, they could not expose the truth regarding the Ancient Heavenly Emperor Token under any circumstances—it was the entire Celestial Clan's sole hope of turning their fortunes around.
"You have no choice. If you insist on staying, fend for yourselves," the Extraterrestrial Demons retorted coldly, leaving no room for negotiation. Having spoken, they turned to leave, not caring in the least for the Celestial Clan's response.
To the Extraterrestrial Demons, the Celestial Clan was merely an expendable tool. If they proved disobedient, they had little value left.
Watching them leave, the Celestial Clan Domain Lord's eyes flickered with conflicting emotions. He truly did not want to abandon the mountain range and wanted to hold on a little longer. Yet in the next moment, another figure materialized in the void: Jiang Taiyu.
The terrifying might of a Supreme Immortal unfurled without restraint, sweeping across the entire mountain range. Almost instantly, the heavens and earth transformed as endless, suffocating pressure reverberated through the realm. Jiang Taiyu could see that the Celestial Clan was an arrow at the end of its flight, spent of momentum. He made no effort to conceal his aura, for he had no objection to wiping out the entire Celestial Clan right then and there.
"Retreat!" the Celestial Clan Domain Lord bellowed.
He knew that if they did not flee now, they would be utterly destroyed. He cast a glance at Jiang Taiyu, then at Lu Yuan. There was no other choice; the circumstances were stacked hopelessly against them. Fortunately, the Ancient Heavenly Emperor Token was kept within an independent pocket world, guarded by one of their own. Furthermore, the Lei Ji Mountain Range was vast, making it impossible for the enemy to uncover it anytime soon.
With that thought, the Domain Lord hesitated no longer and gave the order to pull back.
Before long, the Celestial Clan cultivators began fleeing in disarray. Seeing this, the Extraterrestrial Demons intervened to assist their retreat; otherwise, the clan would have suffered devastating casualties. As much as they were mere tools, useful pawns still had to be preserved when possible.
Soon, every enemy had retreated from the Lei Ji Mountain Range. The residual corruptive power of the Extraterrestrial Demons lingered over the peaks, but Jiang Taiyu had ways to cleanse it. Regardless of the details, the land had firmly fallen into allied hands.
At this moment, sheer exhilaration shone on almost every face. This was their first proactive assault since descending upon the Celestial Star, and to their astonishment, it had ended in a resounding success, dealing a catastrophic blow to the Celestial Clan in the process.
It was, in every sense of the word, a glorious victory!
Chapter 496