Whenever they thought of this, the elders of the Jiang clan could not help but sigh.
Deep down, they understood all too well that this was not unique to the Jiang clan. Almost the entire cosmos was in the same state.
Even among the other ten great star sectors, the strongest figures stood at the realm of Supreme Immortal. Not a single person had surpassed this threshold, and their clan foundations were far diminished compared to ancient times.
Of course, this decline had set in long ago, so the elders present did not dwell on it overly much.
Their sole regret was that the Extraterrestrial Demons were now invading, plunging the entire starry sky into turmoil. Had they retained the foundations of the past, they would not have had to worry so much.
Having heard their words, Lu Yuan looked up at the teleportation platform before him.
It stood tall and imposing. Beyond radiating an ancient, primordial aura, it seemed to carry the very passage of time itself.
Something left behind by the Human Sovereign Heavenly Emperor was truly extraordinary. Lu Yuan could not even tell what materials had been used to forge the platform, but of one thing he was certain: even if he attacked it now, he would be utterly unable to damage it. He would fail even by striking with all his might. From this alone, the immense gulf between him and the Human Sovereign Heavenly Emperor became glaringly evident—though precisely how vast that gap was remained impossible to fathom.
Setting idle speculation aside, Lu Yuan walked over to the platform.
"To activate this teleportation platform, you must pour your own power into it," one of the elders said with a warm smile. "The greater the power, the farther the teleportation distance will be. As for the coordinates, we have already aligned them in advance, so you may begin whenever you are ready."
Hearing this, Lu Yuan nodded and placed his hand upon the platform. This was by no means his first time doing something like this, so there was no need for excessive hesitation. Once prepared, he channeled the power within his body without delay.
Rumble!
The next instant, thunder boomed across the sky as a formidable aura surged forth.
As power poured into the platform, wisps of runes manifested across its surface. In immense, countless numbers, they blotted out the sky and blanketed the entire surrounding area. Lu Yuan could clearly sense the potent spatial energy they contained as they converged and merged entirely into the platform.
Before long, a colossal spatial passage appeared before everyone's eyes.
Lu Yuan did not halt his efforts; instead, he continued pouring his power into the dais. Just as the elder had explained, the stronger the power infused, the farther the teleportation would reach.
The two great factions had already set their sights on Earth. No matter what, he had to arrive as quickly as possible. After all, there was no one on Earth capable of withstanding the Eternal Clan and the Ji clan. Given their past grievances, Lu Yuan could clearly foresee that Earth might suffer a terrible catastrophe—an outcome he refused to let pass.
Beside him, the onlookers kept their eyes fixed on the spatial passage.
They could sense that as Lu Yuan continuously poured in his strength, the spatial power grew ever more intense, causing the passage to stretch farther and farther until it had already exceeded the limit an ordinary Creation Immortal could bear. Yet even then, his power continued to flow into the platform in an unending stream.
The calm composure of the Jiang clan elders gave way to shock. The strength pouring from him swiftly matched the level of a Heavenly Position Immortal, yet it showed not the slightest sign of waning.
For a moment, the elders exchanged stunned glances.
A cultivator's true strength could be broadly discerned from the depth of power residing within them. Now, they could plainly feel that the might Lu Yuan displayed far exceeded ordinary Heavenly Position Immortals—it was downright terrifying. Had they not known his background, they might have suspected the young man before them was already on the verge of reaching the Supreme Immortal realm. His strength was simply too formidable, bordering on the unbelievable.
"No wonder... No wonder he was able to gain our ancestor's recognition. Such capability is indeed..." one elder could not help but murmur, utter astonishment gleaming in his eyes. In truth, he knew raw power alone would never have earned their ancestor's approval; there had to be other qualities involved. Even so, this revelation of strength left a profound impression on everyone present. After all, hearing of someone's realm and witnessing their power firsthand were two entirely different matters.
"Truly, the waves behind push those before them. With his talent, strength, and youth, he is destined to surpass even our Domain Lord in the future," another elder declared, offering exceedingly high praise.
The others offered no objection, watching quietly in agreement.
By this point, Lu Yuan had poured in the full measure of his power, and the spatial passage was fully formed.
"The distance to the Milky Way Star Sector is not far now," one elder observed after sensing the passage, a smile surfacing on his face. In their eyes, achieving such a distance would have been impossible even for an ordinary Heavenly Position Immortal. Their voices brimmed with admiration, marveling at just how powerful this young man truly was.
"Let's go," Lu Yuan said, turning to Jiang Ningxian, who nodded at once.
Without another word, the two bowed slightly to the elders of the Jiang clan, stepped directly into the passage, and vanished from sight.
"After this, the situation in the starry sky will likely undergo drastic upheaval once more."
"Who knows what the world will look like the next time we see young friend Lu?"
"And who knows if we will even still be alive."
The elders spoke with quiet sighs. Advanced in years and with their vitality nearly spent, their lives were truly drawing to an end, making such sentiments natural. Even so, they harbored no sorrow for themselves; their only concern was whether the impending calamity could be quelled in its entirety.
Dwelling no further on the matter, the elders turned and departed the platform.
Meanwhile, on the other side, having traversed the threshold of the passage, Lu Yuan and Jiang Ningxian watched the star rivers reverse beneath their feet as countless celestial bodies receded into the distance. From this alone, it was clear they were crossing vast swathes of star sectors.
"It feels just like last time, though back then, my father personally made the move. I wonder how long it will take us to return to Earth," Jiang Ningxian said with a faint smile.
Traversing the cosmos was an intensely lonely affair, one ordinary people could hardly endure. Space was synonymous with cold and desolation, unchanging through the ages. Yet now, Jiang Ningxian felt lighthearted, for she was not alone.
Lu Yuan understood her feelings and responded with a nod and a smile. Even so, his thoughts remained fixed on Earth and the threat posed by the two factions.
Just as he was about to speak, he suddenly felt as though they had arrived at the very end of the passage.
Chapter 522