Indeed, at this very moment, whether in appearance or the aura he radiated, Lu Yuan looked just like an old man with one foot in the grave. Pale, withered hair, a shriveled frame, and blood vitality drained to the absolute limit all testified that his demise was imminent. What was more, none of this was merely superficial.
Lu Yuan could clearly sense how frail the aura inside his body had become, his strength utterly depleted. Even now, he could not muster a shred of power; it did not feel like an illusion in the slightest. Yet he remained seated steadily in place, his expression calm.
For him, whether it was real or false no longer mattered. Having come this far, there was no need to overthink it. And so, Lu Yuan accepted everything with composure, feeling the vitality in his body slip away drop by drop, drawing near its end.
"Is it going to end?" The thought surfaced in his mind. Was he resentful? No, there was only regret—regret that he seemed to have failed to unlock what the Human Sovereign Heavenly Emperor had left behind.
Rumble!
Yet right at that moment, a resounding boom echoed through the boundless white expanse. In the next instant, everything vanished.
Then, a figure slowly appeared ahead. It was an elderly man, his back somewhat stooped, yet he seemed capable of holding up heaven and earth. Just standing there, he appeared able to fend off every tribulation. That presence, that majesty, far exceeded a Supreme Immortal, reaching a truly magnificent height.
Lu Yuan stared at the figure, his mind momentarily in a daze. But when he came to his senses, he was startled to find himself seated cross-legged where he had been all along.
His white hair had vanished, his body was no longer gaunt and withered, and it was as though everything before had never transpired. He was just as youthful as before, as if time had never flowed at all.
"This..."
At this moment, Lu Yuan was certain: everything had been an illusion. Still, that illusion had been far too lifelike. Even he had been completely convinced, never anticipating such an outcome.
"Young man."
Just then, the voice spoke. Lu Yuan could not see the man's face clearly; the figure stood in place, indistinct and illusory. That voice in particular seemed not to belong to this era, sounding as though it had traveled across vast eons from ancient times.
"Senior." Hearing this, Lu Yuan immediately stepped forward. In truth, he had already realized that this figure had to be the Jiang clan's ancestor—the apparition left behind by none other than the Human Sovereign Heavenly Emperor. Thus, he stepped forward with respect, knowing that he had likely unlocked the ancestral legacy in full.
"The fact that you were able to walk this far means your will is extraordinarily powerful. Over the years, many children sought to stand before me, but in the end, they all failed and chose to leave," the old man said with a smile on his face, continuing, "Yet there is no shame in that. Their failure was not due to a flaw in themselves, but because this power carries tremendous weight and cannot be handed out lightly."
At this moment, the elder seemed to discern that Lu Yuan was not of the Jiang clan, offering an explanation for what had occurred in the past.
Lu Yuan understood completely. Whenever the Jiang clan entered this place in the past hoping to unlock the legacy, this senior had known all along. The reason they had not succeeded came down to the person before him. Just as the elder had said, this power was of grave importance and could not be lightly bestowed.
"I was merely fortunate," Lu Yuan replied at once. He naturally did not presume himself superior to all who had come before him.
"I can sense the aura that belongs to me within you, yet you have completely refined it into your own power," the elder spoke again. Though his features remained obscured, one could easily imagine the approving smile on his face.
"Yes, Senior." Lu Yuan recalled the Human Sovereign essence blood he had obtained in Shennongjia and immediately knew what the elder was referring to, so he did not deny it.
"Very well, my time is almost up," the old man said once more. "The legacy I left behind is actually quite simple: it is my power. Of course, it is only temporary. Now that you have passed the trial, this power will reside within your body. Remember, do not use it lightly, for you will only have one chance. I hope you will wield it where it is truly needed."
The elder seemed to know that in future ages, a colossal catastrophe would befall this universe, and so in the end, he had chosen to leave behind a portion of his power to be used when necessary. In other words, even in death, this ancient sage still worried for future generations and for this world.
"I understand." Lu Yuan knew that this was merely a wisp of the will left behind by the Human Sovereign Heavenly Emperor. Even though many questions lingered in his heart, the elder could not provide answers due to a lack of time. What mattered most now was putting his mind at ease.
"As long as you understand my meaning. Heed my words."
True to his words, once he finished speaking, the old man's figure slowly faded away. The surrounding world returned to a boundless white, as if nothing had ever taken place.
Yet Lu Yuan could now sense an indescribably immense power sealed deep within his body, ready to be called upon whenever he wished.
However, just as the elder had warned, this power could be invoked only once. It would not linger on him perpetually.
Therefore, it could not be unleashed carelessly. Lu Yuan also believed that the elder had likely foreseen the Extraterrestrial Demons and the impending catastrophe long ago, hoping that Lu Yuan would direct this power where it could achieve its intended purpose. Of course, curiosity stirred in Lu Yuan's heart as well.
Just how powerful was the might of a Human Sovereign Heavenly Emperor? Above the Immortal Realm lay the Quasi-Sovereign and the Sovereign Realm Heavenly Lord. Could the Human Sovereign Heavenly Emperor have stood at such a height?
Lu Yuan pondered this, but he also understood that the later he had to use this power, the better—or better yet, if he never had to use it at all. That would mean no universe-shaking catastrophe would occur in the future, and all living beings across the starry skies would remain safe and secure.
However, Lu Yuan knew that was wishful thinking. The Extraterrestrial Demons had already made their move. The road ahead would only grow more arduous. The only thing he could do was find a way to grow stronger as quickly as possible while making thorough preparations for the looming chaos.
Lu Yuan understood this better than anyone, and he had always acted accordingly!
Chapter 519