Everyone looked up, their expressions instantly turning solemn.
Several figures appeared high in the void. They stood suspended in midair, their bodies radiating blazing, dazzling light. Enormous waves of power surged continuously from them, sweeping across heaven and earth.
Jiang Huanyun, Zhu Qingyu, Ice Fairy, and the others all felt an overwhelming pressure weigh down upon them. It was a suffocating aura born of supreme might. Under this stifling weight, those around them whose cultivation was insufficient could not stop themselves from trembling. It was as though their souls had been bound; for a moment, they could barely speak.
The figures standing in the void were simply too terrifying. Their mere presence was enough to shake the mountains and rivers.
Some members of the Heavenly Court had no idea what realm these newcomers had reached, yet they understood with utter certainty that if the enemy made a move, none of them would stand a chance. If fighting broke out, death was all but guaranteed. Yet even so, people chose to stand their ground.
Yes, even if they knew they would die, and even if they knew they had no hope of stopping them, what of it? From the moment they chose to stand here, they had resolved never to back down.
Jiang Huanyun's brow furrowed deeply as he gazed up at those figures. A thought suddenly sprang into his mind: Heavenly Rank Immortals.
Generally speaking, it was impossible for someone of a lower realm to probe the strength of an existence in a higher realm unless the other party deliberately revealed it. That was precisely the case right now. Ever since appearing, those figures had made no attempt to conceal their auras. They displayed them openly and unapologetically for all to see.
Thus, Jiang Huanyun instantly deduced that these figures possessed the strength of Heavenly Rank Immortals.
This realization made him feel that the impending battle would be dire beyond measure. The hope of withstanding the two great factions had grown vanishingly slim, for even Heavenly Rank Immortals had stepped onto the field.
Previously, when the Eternal Warship descended and experts from the two factions traveled across famous mountains to strike at various races, only Grotto-Heaven Immortals had appeared. Only when encountering trouble they could not resolve did they deploy Creation Immortals. At that stage, even though Jiang Huanyun and the others found the two factions difficult to deal with, they had not fallen into despair. Against mere Creation Immortals, they could still put up a fight, however faint their chances.
Now, however, Heavenly Rank Immortals had arrived—and more than one. If battle commenced...
Jiang Huanyun's brow remained tightly knitted. He knew that unless a miracle occurred, everyone in the Heavenly Court atop Mount Tai would face total ruin. And once they fell, the ordinary citizens in the five super cities would be next.
At the same time, along the distant horizon, various other auras appeared. They were not particularly powerful, though some belonged to cultivators in the Immortal realm. None dared draw close; they simply watched from afar, well aware that today was the day the two great factions would crush the Heavenly Court.
Nearly everyone understood that the feud between the Eternal Clan, the Ji clan, and the Heavenly Court—or more precisely, Lu Yuan—ran deep. The two factions had lost not only divine sons, but also countless kinsmen at his hands. Now that they had unleashed their full foundation, a ruthless massacre was inevitable.
In truth, had Lu Yuan still been here guarding Earth's Heavenly Court, onlookers might have believed a miracle was possible. But now? Even then, it would require a miracle. The two factions had sent out Heavenly Rank Immortals—beings second only to Domain Lord-level Supreme Immortals. What could Lu Yuan do even if he were present? Could he truly overturn the situation? Cultivators across the star sectors acknowledged his extraordinary strength, but no matter how strong one was, there had to be a limit.
They had come solely to witness how the Heavenly Court would meet its end.
Still, certain major clans from the star sectors were debating whether they should assist the Heavenly Court if battle broke out. The problem was that their strength was far too meager. Aiding the Heavenly Court would accomplish nothing and would only draw doom upon themselves.
Atop Jade Emperor Peak on Mount Tai, the Eternal Warship and the experts of the two factions had fully descended. They made no attempt to hide their overwhelming auras, sending waves of terrifying force rippling outward.
"Jiang Huanyun, we have no desire to wage an all-out war with the Jiang clan. If you recognize the reality of the situation, you may withdraw now. I can also promise not to touch your kinsmen."
A Creation Immortal from the Ji clan spoke. His tone carried no mercy, only mockery—as though bestowing a charitable favor.
Hearing this, Jiang Huanyun's expression did not waver. He replied calmly, "We and the Heavenly Court have long been allies, bound as one. As for you, deploying Heavenly Rank Immortals, Creation Immortals, and Grotto-Heaven Immortals just to deal with juniors of the Heavenly Court—do you not feel ashamed?"
Naturally, he did not expect a sentence or two to persuade the two factions to withdraw. But if there was any chance, he had to try. The logic was simple: once fighting began, everyone present from the Heavenly Court and the Jiang clan would be annihilated. Even with hope being vanishingly slim, he would take any chance he could.
"What a pity. The Jiang clan remains as stubborn as ever. In that case, we need not hold back."
Having said this, the Creation Immortal slowly stepped back.
Then, the Heavenly Rank Immortals of the two factions—four in total—took a step forward in unison.
Instantly, a tremendous aura erupted from them and surged across the world. Below, the mountains and the earth began to quake, and the clouds across the firmament shattered into pieces. This power was monstrous beyond comprehension. Earth endured only because the planet remained shielded by cosmic laws; otherwise, four Heavenly Rank Immortals striking together could have reduced it to dust.
"Is there anyone else who wishes to aid this so-called Heavenly Court and the Jiang clan?"
A Heavenly Rank Immortal of the Ji clan spoke, his gaze icy as he looked down upon the world. He directed this question to the extraterrestrial beings watching from afar. He cared little whether anyone actually stepped forward, knowing that with his cultivation, no matter how many came, none could withstand a single blow.
After his words echoed, the surrounding heaven and earth fell silent for a long moment.
At last, several auras emerged around Mount Tai. They belonged to factions that had previously sought good relations with the Heavenly Court. Though they had kept hidden earlier, they chose to step forward at this critical juncture. They knew full well that doing so was foolish, yet they also believed that some things simply had to be done.
Chapter 538