From Lu Yuan's perspective, the second possibility was evidently much higher. The reason was quite simple: had that not been the case, they would have made their move against Mount Tai and Kunlun long ago, rather than waiting until now.
Previously, when the two major forces disappeared and fled far into the void, it had been for the sake of their ensuing plan.
Their second emergence indicated that the plan was essentially complete. Yet even so, Mount Tai and Kunlun remained unchanged. This proved that they were helpless against these two ancient, majestic peaks steeped in mythical lore and mystery.
It also proved that even for the extraterrestrial heavenly demons, completely transforming the laws of the entire Earth was impossible. At the very least, they were powerless against these two locations.
Beside him, Jiang Ningxian nodded upon hearing this, clearly agreeing with Lu Yuan's assessment.
"Then shouldn't we focus our attention on these two places?"
She felt that just because the extraterrestrial heavenly demons had not moved against them now did not mean they would not in the future. Precautions were essential, such as dispatching people to monitor them, watching them at all times to see if any changes occurred.
"That is my thought as well," Lu Yuan nodded. "A portion of the Heavenly Court's elites can move into Kunlun to conduct patrols."
That way, both Mount Tai and Kunlun would remain under their watchful eyes. If anything went awry, they could respond in time.
Although the distances between the two locations had grown vast due to the planet's mutations, to Lu Yuan, crossing that expanse took merely an instant.
"There is nothing we can do about those black altars, but at least this excursion allowed us to grasp some other developments. So going forward, we must still await the arrival of the extraterrestrial heavenly demons," Jiang Ningxian said. She knew there was no way to stop it, leaving them to accept it passively.
Still, she felt that facing such a formidable enemy could not be done by relying on Earth alone. They had to join forces with the powerhouses in the starry sky and the top ten star sectors.
In her mind, the final decisive battle would take place right here.
Beyond that, changes in other places were nothing to worry about.
"Indeed, this is something we must pursue." Lu Yuan understood this clearly, which was precisely why he had asked Jiang Huanyun to head into the extraterrestrial starry skies.
Now that the teleportation daotais were gone, if an unforeseen crisis occurred on Earth, the outside world would have no way to reinforce them in time.
They had to start early. He possessed powerful trump cards, yet he did not place all his hopes solely on them.
At least for now, many major clans and powerhouses shared the same stance regarding the extraterrestrial heavenly demons. It was truly best to unite everyone to face the impending crisis.
"I hope that in the limited time remaining, I can truly reach the Supreme Immortal Realm," Lu Yuan thought to himself.
He knew formidable strength was everything.
Only by becoming strong himself could he handle any crisis with ease. Just as before, this was how he had consistently resolved numerous troubles.
Afterward, Lu Yuan and Jiang Ningxian spoke no further.
They returned directly to Mount Tai.
Then, Lu Yuan issued orders for a portion of their forces to relocate to Kunlun and establish a branch of the Heavenly Court there.
This Heavenly Court branch was headed by Zhu Qingyu, who held complete authority over everything.
In other words, Lu Yuan had truly entrusted real executive power to her.
After all, he had never been one to manage mundane affairs. Delegating certain matters to others was far better than handling them personally.
Before departing, however, Zhu Qingyu paid him a visit to report on some recent developments.
The most crucial point was that various clans wished to ally with the Heavenly Court. Knowing a crisis was looming that would impact the entire cosmos, they lacked sufficient confidence in their own strength and foundations, leaving them to seek shelter under a mighty canopy.
Today, the Heavenly Court was growing ever stronger, and in the eyes of many, it would sooner or later rival the top ten star sectors. If they could form ties and cooperate in advance, it would naturally be far better for them.
To this, Lu Yuan offered no direct instruction. As before, he told Zhu Qingyu to handle it all, leaving the decision entirely up to her.
Zhu Qingyu felt a bit helpless upon hearing this, as she rarely had to make such momentous decisions alone. Ultimately, she deemed it best not to enter into any alliances for the time being.
Those beings who had stood up when the Heavenly Court needed them most in the past were acceptable, as they had proven trustworthy. But as for the rest, it was better to pass—who knew whether they might choose to surrender to the extraterrestrial heavenly demons when the time came?
With a great war impending, the key lay not in how much strength their side possessed, but in whether they were completely trustworthy. Otherwise, no matter how many powerhouses they had, it would be futile.
Hearing this, Lu Yuan felt gratified, as his own thoughts aligned with hers. He immediately instructed Zhu Qingyu to proceed with her decision.
Once this matter was settled, nothing else remained.
Lu Yuan returned once more to Jade Emperor Peak on Mount Tai and sat down cross-legged. At the same time, he employed several techniques to thoroughly seal off the surrounding heaven and earth.
Ever since breaking through to the Heavenly Position Immortal Realm, he had practically been constantly on the move, followed by a succession of major battles. He had never had the leisure to settle down and take stock of his current state.
Now, the pressing tasks had essentially been completed. For Lu Yuan, it was time to gain a thorough comprehension of what a true Heavenly Position Immortal was.
For his next objective was none other than the pinnacle of the Immortal Realm—the Supreme Immortal.
Thus, he had to integrate and comprehend everything he had gained during this period, and chart the path he was to take hereafter.
After stepping into the Immortal Realm, cultivation was no longer a mere matter of unlocking physical potential and accumulating strength; it was an understanding of cosmic laws.
Lu Yuan understood this well, knowing that at times, one had to achieve true tranquility. Only with an undisturbed mind could one truly examine oneself.
"Supreme Immortal, the pinnacle of the Immortal Realm. Yet that is still not the absolute peak of cultivation. Above it lie the Quasi-Sovereign Realm and the Sovereign Realm Heavenly Master. And what does that realm represent?"
Lu Yuan calmed his mind and began to ponder. The Immortal Realm was already about comprehending and understanding cosmic laws. Once that process was fully completed, the next step was indeed obscure.
He had consulted Jiang Taiyu previously. Regrettably, Jiang Taiyu had never reached that realm either, and ancient records were sparse, leaving him unable to offer much detail. He had only offered a conjecture: perhaps only by transcending this universe and elevating one's perspective to the boundless cosmos could one truly understand it.
Though vague, Lu Yuan felt there might be truth in those words.
Of course, dwelling on that now was premature.
The most important task was to reach the peak of the Heavenly Position Immortal Realm, and then find a way to attain the Supreme Immortal Realm.
Only then could he step onto the path that lay beyond.
Only then, when the extraterrestrial heavenly demons descended, would he possess more means to confront them!
Chapter 555