Jiang Huanyun's meaning was very simple: no one knew when Lu Yuan would actually arrive on Earth. Therefore, during this period, they had to rely on their own strength.
The Heavenly Court members present understood this clearly and said nothing more. After all, they had already prepared themselves to face the two great factions alone. The news of Lu Yuan's impending return merely gave Zhu Qingyu and the others a concrete goal to hold out for.
Afterward, the crowd dispersed. Everyone knew that the appearance of the Eternal Warship would shift the overall situation on Earth. They were unsure whether the beings from the various star sectors—who had previously quieted down—would make any moves, but in any case, they would still have to rely on their own might to deter them. Fortunately, the Heavenly Court possessed considerable foundations now, complemented by the Jiang clan's assistance at their side. As long as the two great factions did not personally deploy their forces, nothing would go awry.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the starry sky, Lu Yuan, Jiang Ningxian, and their companions pressed forward continuously. Searching for teleportation platforms, they discovered yet another destroyed planet. Counting what they had seen before, this was already the third one. Because of this, the two hurried their pace.
At last, they noticed that in the distance, a fourth teleportation platform still seemed to exist. However, it also appeared to have been targeted, prompting them to head straight toward it. If things continued like this, every teleportation platform around Earth would likely be completely destroyed, and there was no telling what unforeseen complications might follow.
"I once read in ancient texts that around the perimeter of the Milky Way Star Sector, there were four teleportation platforms in total," Jiang Ningxian said, deep worry surfacing in her eyes. "Now only the last one remains. If it is destroyed as well..."
She understood the implications all too well. If every single teleportation platform around the Milky Way Star Sector were obliterated, then should trouble arise on Earth in the future, how could any powerhouse rush there in time to help?
"Destroying the teleportation platforms must have been planned by the two great factions all along, aimed directly at Earth," Lu Yuan remarked. After thinking through the matter over this period, he understood completely. Most likely, only the platforms surrounding Earth had been destroyed. As for the precise motive, he could not be sure, but one thing was certain: it boded ill.
"They've already targeted the fourth platform. Hopefully we can arrive in time," Lu Yuan said again, his eyes narrowing. If this platform were also destroyed, reaching Earth quickly would become outright impossible. More importantly, if the two factions had other plans by then...
Jiang Ningxian shared his apprehension, her expression turning exceedingly grave. However, though the fourth teleportation platform seemed close, traversing the cosmic void still required considerable time. Furthermore, they could sense a powerful fluctuation of energy in the distance. The perpetrators had clearly begun to make their move. They had to hurry.
Just as they had anticipated, the Ji clan's Heavenly Position Immortal and his accompanying experts were already in the midst of destroying the fourth teleportation platform.
Just like the worlds before it, this was a living planet. To destroy it, all life upon it had to be thoroughly eradicated first. Some of the beings here possessed extraordinary powers, but to the experts present, such strength amounted to nothing at all. The reason was simple: those extraordinary beings were far too weak, lacking even a single figure at the Saint Realm. Wiping them out was practically effortless.
Just as before, four of the Ji clan's powerhouses attacked with a playfulness born of cruelty. They cared nothing for the slaughter, smiles dancing in their eyes. High in the void stood the Heavenly Position Immortal, cold and detached to the extreme, resembling a god gazing down upon mortals. He was utterly indifferent to the screams, wails, and pleas rising from below.
Before long, the four Ji clan experts stayed their hands. On the surface of the planet, not a single living soul remained.
"My turn," the Ji clan Heavenly Position Immortal murmured, stepping forward as his aura unfurled. But almost immediately, his expression shifted slightly. Not far away, he sensed two auras rapidly approaching, both exceedingly formidable.
*An unexpected variable?*
Sensing their approach, the Heavenly Position Immortal narrowed his eyes. Rather than waiting, he chose to strike immediately. Boundless power erupted from his body, his technique nearly identical to what he had done before.
In an instant, the lifeless world suffered a devastating blow. The crust shifted violently, volcanoes erupted, and endless lava burst from the fissures. For an entity like a Heavenly Position Immortal, destroying a lifeless planet was not difficult—merely somewhat cumbersome—so he unleashed strike after strike. Soon, the planet was completely obliterated.
Seeing this, the four Ji clan experts broke into smiles. "The mission is complete," one remarked. "Should we head back?"
Their orders had been to destroy all the teleportation platforms, and that was now accomplished.
Yet the Heavenly Position Immortal shook his head, smiling. "Someone is coming, and exceedingly fast. We can't avoid them, so let's see just who it is."
Puzzlement crossed the others' faces. At a time like this, who would be careening recklessly through the cosmos? They had no idea, but staying posed no threat.
Shortly afterward, a void rift abruptly tore open before them. Two figures stepped out slowly: Lu Yuan and Jiang Ningxian.
At this moment, the newcomers saw that the celestial body in this region had been utterly ruined, the teleportation platform rendered defunct. Simultaneously, they spotted the Ji clan experts standing not far away—one Heavenly Position Immortal, and four others at the Creation Immortal and Grotto-Heaven Immortal realms. These were the very culprits who had destroyed the teleportation platforms.
"We were still one step too late," Jiang Ningxian said, knitting her brows tightly. They had missed it by a hair's breadth.
Lu Yuan said nothing, merely staring at the Ji clan experts before them. His expression did not waver, but deep within his heart, an intense, surging killing intent had already ignited. He knew this planet had harbored living beings, yet they had been wiped out entirely. Compounded by the worlds destroyed before, such atrocities were nothing short of madness. Thus, Lu Yuan made no attempt to conceal the murderous intent radiating from his form.
Chapter 527