Everyone knew it well.
Lu Yuan's cultivation progressed at an astonishing pace.
It could truly be called terrifying.
Realms that took others centuries or even millennia to achieve, he could reach in a year or two—and emerge even stronger, capable of slaying immortals in short order.
The various races across the starry sky had suffered massive setbacks at his hands. It was precisely because of Lu Yuan's presence that Earth had remained independent and had not been completely conquered despite being targeted by star domains throughout the universe.
He was a man who worked miracles.
And so, the moment Lu Yuan appeared, the thoughts in everyone's hearts began to shift once more.
Yet hope was one thing; reality was another, and they knew the facts all too clearly.
Among the attackers this time were four Heavenly Rank Immortals, figures counted among the very strongest in the cosmos.
They were the true, deep foundation of the Ji clan and the Eternal Clan. Now that they had stepped forth, matters would hardly play out as they had before.
Meanwhile, the despair on the faces of Zhu Qingyu and the others gave way to sudden delight. They had known all along that Lu Yuan was returning to Earth, only lacking the exact time of his arrival.
Their decision to hold out was rooted in the knowledge that even if they died in the end, so long as they endured until King Lu returned, their duty would be fulfilled and far more people could be saved.
Seeing his return now, they were naturally overjoyed.
Yet beyond that joy, worry inevitably crept back in.
These were four beings at the level of Heavenly Rank Immortals.
Just how terrifying was their strength? No one truly knew.
Even now, they had not fully displayed their true might, yet it was already far beyond what anyone here could resist.
Moreover, if a full battle broke out, likely not a single person present would be able to lend Lu Yuan any aid.
"To think you would return—and so promptly," a Heavenly Rank Immortal of the Eternal Clan murmured, his eyes narrowing slightly in astonishment.
He had truly never expected that, at such a critical juncture, this man would actually reach Earth.
"Could it be that the ones we dispatched failed to destroy the teleportation dao platforms?" a powerhouse of the Ji clan said, his tone tinged with hesitation.
From their perspective, according to the messages sent earlier, three of the teleportation dao platforms had already been destroyed.
Only the final one remained, and barring any unforeseen accident, it should have been destroyed long ago as well.
Had that been the case, it should have been impossible for Lu Yuan to rush back to Earth in such a short time.
"Spare yourselves the pointless wondering. The ones you sent have already been dealt with," Lu Yuan said.
His voice sounded utterly calm, yet killing intent surged within his heart.
He knew with absolute clarity that if he had arrived even a moment later, the Heavenly Court would have fallen, followed by the ordinary citizens of the five super cities—numbering in the hundreds of millions.
Lu Yuan knew this was no exaggeration. On his way back, he had witnessed far too many scenes of such devastation.
Had he not arrived in time, or had he been delayed, the catastrophe would have been beyond imagining.
Thus, the murderous resolve in his chest boiled over.
This time, no matter how many enemies stood before him, they would all die.
The actions of these two factions had crossed his true bottom line!
*What?*
Upon hearing Lu Yuan's words, shock registered on the faces of everyone from the two great factions.
They knew full well that among the forces dispatched was a Heavenly Rank Immortal. Taken out by him? How was that possible?
Though the people of the Heavenly Court and the various star domains did not grasp the full meaning of his statement, they could tell from the reactions of the two factions that it was no trivial matter—for this was the first time they had seen those invaders look unsettled.
"Hmph! Just by yourself, you dealt with the people we sent?"
"Fine, fine! Today, we shall see just what you're made of!"
A Heavenly Rank Immortal of the Ji clan spoke up.
He knew there was no point in wasting words. The enmity between the two great factions and Lu Yuan was already irreconcilable; talk would change nothing.
Under such circumstances, only a fight to the death remained.
With that, he stepped forward, appearing directly in front of Lu Yuan in an instant, his entire aura trembling with power.
A terrifying force erupted from him, rippling in boundless shockwaves and rumbling incessantly, as though it could overturn both heaven and earth.
"King Lu, be careful!" Zhu Qingyu and the others cried out.
They had witnessed the might of a Heavenly Rank Immortal before, and they knew that earlier display was far from their full strength.
Now, this strike seemed completely unrestrained, sending a wave of panic through their hearts.
Even Jiang Huanyun and the members of the Jiang clan felt the same, convinced that Lu Yuan was bound to suffer if this continued.
"No need to worry. Just watch," Jiang Ningxian said as she descended.
Her face was calm, without the slightest trace of tension.
Her eyes, in particular, were brimming with confidence as she looked toward Lu Yuan.
Yet Zhu Qingyu and the others remained bewildered and could not help saying, "What King Lu faces right now is a Heavenly Rank Immortal."
Everyone present had felt how terrifying such beings were; they were practically invincible.
In their eyes, Lu Yuan was immensely powerful as well, but when compared to a Heavenly Rank Immortal, he might still be...
Jiang Ningxian naturally understood what they were thinking and smiled faintly.
She spoke without hesitation: "A Heavenly Rank Immortal? It's not as if Lu Yuan hasn't slain one before. In fact, more than one."
The moment her words fell, dead silence descended upon the entire area, every face frozen in disbelief.
They had never imagined such a thing possible. Just what earth-shattering feats had he accomplished out in the starry sky?
Before they could fully process the thought, they instinctively looked up.
Far across the battlefield, they saw Lu Yuan make his move.
Before the Ji clan's Heavenly Rank Immortal could even close the distance, it was as if he were struck by an immense weight, and he staggered backward continuously.
His face drained of color.
It seemed he had never imagined such a thing could happen either.
"He has grown stronger again! Strike together!"
Nearby, the other three Heavenly Rank Immortals were shaken to the core at the sight.
At the same time, they became certain that his claim of slaying the Ji clan Heavenly Rank Immortal who went to destroy the teleportation dao platform was very likely true.
If so, his combat prowess was definitely far greater than before. Knowing that Lu Yuan could never be judged by common sense, they had to join forces and kill him together to be safe.
Otherwise, if any further variable arose, this entire campaign would likely meet one obstacle after another.
That was an outcome none of them would accept.
As for the shame of ganging up on him, none of them cared in the least.
Chapter 542