He could not claim to be entirely invincible, but at the very least, in this cosmic universe, no living being posed a threat to Lu Yuan.
Of course, in his heart, he thought it would be even better if he could take another step forward and reach the Supreme Immortal realm.
"Is it over?"
At that moment, Jiang Ningxian walked over. Sensing the immense lingering power in the surroundings, she knew that the combat strength of the Lu Yuan before her had already exceeded her wildest imagination. Even so, she was not certain whether that Heavenly Position Immortal was truly dead.
An existence of that caliber wielded Heavenly Position Laws; even a Supreme Immortal would have to be earnest to slay one.
Hearing her question, Lu Yuan simply nodded and said, "His physical body and soul power were both thoroughly obliterated. Even a Heavenly Position Immortal can't survive that."
After all, this was not the first Heavenly Position Immortal he had slain, so it was nothing extraordinary to him. In other words, he was experienced in this regard.
"Then what should we do next?" Jiang Ningxian asked.
All four teleportation platforms had been destroyed, which meant they had no way to take a shortcut to Earth. And what was certain now was that the two great factions had set their sights on the Milky Way Star Sector. The living beings there could very well be in imminent danger. Under such circumstances, things would become extremely troublesome.
"Regardless, we have to return," Lu Yuan said after a brief thought. "All we can do is rush back at our fastest speed. The Milky Way Star Sector and Earth are no longer what they used to be; they have their own foundation and combat strength. So hopefully, they can hold out for a while longer, and I believe they won't let us down."
He knew very well that relying solely on the Heavenly Court and the Jiang clan members stationed there would certainly not be enough to stop the two factions. However, even if the enemy deployed Heavenly Position Immortals, dealing a catastrophic blow to Earth would not be simple.
Back then, when the ancient sages chose to isolate Earth with the Severance of Heaven and Earth, they had undoubtedly left behind other countermeasures. Even so, this did not mean they could rest easy. At the very least, if too much time passed, the two factions were truly capable of destroying Earth if they set their minds to it.
Thus, they still had to seize every moment. Lu Yuan's idea was straightforward: since the teleportation platforms were gone, they would travel by the most primal method. Fortunately, this location was no longer far from the Milky Way Star Sector, so they should be able to make it in time.
Jiang Ningxian said nothing more and nodded in agreement. There was no other choice; what else could they do?
Immediately, Lu Yuan stepped forward and tore open the void. The next instant, the two stepped into the passage.
Meanwhile, in the Milky Way Star Sector.
The appearance of the Eternal Warship had put the Heavenly Court on high alert. In a short span of time, they dispatched greater forces to stabilize the situation.
As for the beings from other star sectors, they were also thrown into panic. Prior to this, the two factions had used overwhelming force in an attempt to force various star sectors into submission. Some had refused, offending the two factions in the process. Yet they felt there had been no alternative—under such coercion, who would willingly surrender? In the end, Lu Yuan had intervened and completely thwarted their plans.
During that time, many beings had supported Lu Yuan and the Jiang clan. Eventually, the Eternal Clan and the Ji clan departed, leading everyone to believe it was a complete victory and that they would have nothing to worry about in the future. Who could have foreseen such an outcome—the two factions had staged a comeback.
Especially as time passed, the Eternal Warship stationed in outer space actually began to descend directly onto Earth. Only because Earth had expanded nearly a hundredfold compared to before was this possible; otherwise, a warship of such colossal size could have crushed an entire planet to dust.
At the same time, formidable auras descended incessantly. Nearly everyone could feel an intense sense of impending doom sweeping over them.
The Heavenly Court reacted in an instant, pulling back its forces. Aside from the five super cities, they abandoned the defense of other territories, even famous mountains and great rivers. The reason was simple: their foundation was not yet sufficiently strong, and only by concentrating their strength could they accomplish anything meaningful.
Time ticked by. Eventually, people from the two factions walked out of the Eternal Warship. Among them were Creation Immortals, Grotto-Heaven Immortals, and even two Heavenly Position Immortals. Yet they did not take action.
They merely handed down a decree: in the days to come, anyone willing to submit to the two factions should board the Eternal Warship directly. Once a certain deadline passed, they would cease accepting submissions and formally begin conquering all of Earth.
After delivering this proclamation, the powerhouses of the two factions withdrew back into the warship, showing themselves no more.
Their message was simple: for now, they would not launch a full-scale assault, but were giving the beings from various star sectors on Earth an opportunity. If they seized it, they would be spared. If not, they would face wrath. The Heavenly Court of Earth, in particular, was given no chance to submit.
The reason was simple: their target was none other than the Heavenly Court.
Instantly, panic gripped the populace. Many began to feel that Earth was a whirlpool of trouble and wanted to leave, thinking that so long as they departed, they would be safe. As for the so-called great era providence, they no longer cared. After all, so much time had passed without a single sign of it. Unwilling to submit yet terrified of a direct clash with the two factions, they weighed their options and concluded it was better to simply leave—at least that would preserve their lives.
Yet very quickly, people discovered that the star sector surrounding Earth had been completely sealed off. One could enter, but none could leave. In other words, they were forced to make a choice.
Under these circumstances, some beings weighed their odds and decided it was better to submit to the two factions. After all, rumors had it that they were allied with extraterrestrial heavenly demons—a formidable kind of extraterrestrial entity. Though doing so smacked of betrayal, some still prioritized their own survival. Inevitably, people began heading straight for the Eternal Warship.
As for the Heavenly Court's core leadership, represented by Zhu Qingyu, they knew all too well that they had no way out; all they could do was find a way to concentrate their forces and resist.
Jiang Huanyun also understood the gravity of the situation and immediately began contacting his clansmen. He was well aware that if things continued like this until the two factions launched their actual offensive, the consequences would be catastrophic.
Yet neither the extraterrestrial beings nor the members of the Heavenly Court could quite understand: since the Eternal Warship and the two factions had already arrived, wouldn't now be the best time to strike? Why were they waiting? Did they have another plan, or were they simply unable to launch a full-scale assault at this stage?
Doubt weighed heavily on everyone's mind, but for the Heavenly Court, this was a good thing. At the very least, it bought them some time.
Chapter 531