To achieve all this was already considered incredible for the Heavenly Court of today. At least in the eyes of onlookers, that was absolutely true.
After all, how long had it been since Earth's revival? How long had it even been in contact with extraordinary power? Forget comparing it to the top hundred star sectors—even those with just a modest foundation had vastly longer histories of cultivation.
Yet against all odds, under the leadership of core figures like Zhu Qingyu, the forces of the Heavenly Court had held firm against the assaults of those invaders. That alone was something to take immense pride in.
More importantly, they had done so while protecting the majority of the populace. If the Heavenly Court truly wished to, they probably could have chosen to take the offensive and counterattack those enemies directly.
However, to play it safe, Zhu Qingyu knew they absolutely could not do that. It would make it far too easy for the enemy to exploit a vulnerability.
For now, her sole intention was to safeguard the ordinary mortals without overextending herself. Such an approach might seem exceedingly conservative and passive to outsiders, but the crux of the matter was that Zhu Qingyu believed avoiding mistakes was the best path forward. And it was precisely this mindset that gave the Heavenly Court and the populace room to breathe, allowing them to hold up the sky even while surrounded by enemies on all sides.
Furthermore, Zhu Qingyu had also taken the initiative to ally with those who refused to submit to the two great factions, enlisting them to aid the Heavenly Court by striking when they could or simply passing along intelligence. Thanks to the Heavenly Court's renown and the enduring impression Lu Yuan had left behind, this approach yielded quite good results.
In the end, seeing how things stood, Jiang Huanyun could not help feeling surprised. In his view, for her to accomplish so much as a mere woman was truly commendable. Yet how long could this state of affairs last? Even Jiang Huanyun was not certain.
Meanwhile, aboard the Eternal Warship.
"It's truly unexpected that this Heavenly Court has managed to hold out until now."
"I thought that once we made our move, even if we couldn't wipe out this so-called Heavenly Court outright, we would at least deal them a heavy blow. Who would have thought we'd achieve nothing at all?" An expert of the Eternal Clan was inwardly shaken upon seeing the current situation.
After all, aside from that member of the Jiang clan, the Heavenly Court virtually lacked anyone in the Immortal Realm. Yet here they were, withstanding attacks from the beings of various races.
"Indeed. It seems we must take action ourselves," an expert from the Ji clan remarked. He was surprised, yet not particularly troubled.
For none of them had counted on conquering Earth merely through those extraterrestrial beings; when the crucial moment arrived, they would still have to step in.
"The time seems nearly ripe." Sensing the aura of this realm, a Heavenly Position Immortal from the Eternal Clan smiled. "In just a few more days, the measures left behind by those ancient powerhouses will be completely ground away. That will be our cue to strike."
They had long grown impatient, of course, but to prevent any unforeseen accidents, they chose to wait patiently. That way, no threats would remain.
"Indeed."
"Only a few days left," the Ji clan expert agreed, nodding. "And when that time comes, no one will be able to stop our plans."
With that, members of the two factions exchanged glances, seeing smiles in each other's eyes. In their view, their triumph was an inevitable reality. Saying nothing more, they returned to waiting quietly.
Time ticked by bit by bit. Back on Mount Tai, Jiang Huanyun stood atop Jade Emperor Peak, looking grave.
At this moment, he was carefully sensing the subtle shifts in the surrounding heaven and earth.
"My senses aren't deceiving me—this shift really is growing stronger. Is it for better or for worse?" Jiang Huanyun frowned slightly. An inexplicable sense of fluster weighed on his heart, yet he couldn't pinpoint its cause. Was it the transformation of this realm, or something else entirely?
He could only blame his own insufficient cultivation; otherwise, he surely would have discerned more.
"Senior, did you send for us?" Before long, Zhu Qingyu and the others arrived. Every core member of the Heavenly Court was present.
Seeing them, Jiang Huanyun nodded and said, "Lately, I've had a persistent feeling that something isn't right.
"It feels as though something terrible is about to happen, but I can't quite articulate it, which is why I called you all here.
"I want you all to remain extra vigilant in the days ahead, even if it feels futile for now..." Toward the end, his voice trailed off, turning very faint, and his gaze darkened with intense gravity.
"We haven't slacked off in the least. Rest assured, Senior. No matter where news surfaces, we will receive word immediately and respond without delay," Little Celestial Master Chunyang said.
Throughout this period, everyone present had been swamped to the point of skipping meals. Yet none of them cared, for they knew what had to be done. Under such circumstances, they felt confident in containing any sudden incident.
Jiang Huanyun nodded at his words, yet the worry in his heart did not diminish in the slightest. The others found this odd, knowing this senior had never worn such an expression before.
Rumble!
Right at that moment, a violent roar abruptly erupted in the void. Boundless lightning began to manifest, spreading across the entire sky.
More importantly, an overwhelmingly powerful aura began to radiate. Even the Eternal Warship suspended in the void sank noticeably lower than before.
What was happening? That was the first thought in everyone's mind. Were the two great factions finally preparing to strike? In an instant, every face drained of color.
Yet in the next breath, the Golden-Winged Great Peng swooped in from afar and landed, blurting out, "Something's wrong! I discovered an unknown power emerging across many famous mountains and great rivers, along with strange black mists rolling out everywhere!
"Those mists seem to carry a mysterious power—weaker beings lose their sanity the moment they touch it!"
At these words, virtually everyone present was shocked.
Jiang Huanyun's face changed drastically as well. Back before Lu Yuan departed, he had told everyone a few things about extraterrestrial heavenly demons.
The defining hallmark of such entities was black mist endowed with unfathomable power.
Hearing the report instantly brought them to mind. But the question was, how could the power of those extraterrestrial heavenly demons appear on Earth? He had never sensed it before!
For a moment, everyone exchanged bewildered glances, at a total loss. Yet one thing was certain: the true catastrophe was about to descend.
Chapter 535