Several months had passed since the two great forces had invaded and been dealt with by Lu Yuan.
The Heavenly Court branch at Kunlun had now been fully established, possessing a strength and foundation that was virtually no different from that of Mount Tai.
Both sites bore the tremendous responsibility of monitoring the famous mountains and great rivers. Any development was to be reported immediately so they could react the instant a shift occurred.
Everyone took this with grave seriousness, unwilling to be caught off guard. To this end, even the heavenly soldiers and generals stationed across the five super cities were recalled in full to bolster the strength of the two locations, ensuring every front was covered as thoroughly as possible.
As for what would become of the ordinary people in the five super cities once those forces were withdrawn, Zhu Qingyu and the other core figures of the Heavenly Court showed no concern.
For the Heavenly Court of today was completely different from what it had once been. In both raw strength and foundational depth, it was simply beyond comparison to its former self. Furthermore, Lu Yuan had returned and displayed such formidable combat prowess that no extraterrestrial beings dared cast covetous eyes upon them any longer.
After all, the great clans knew full well that provoking Lu Yuan would invite a devastating blow that no one could stay.
Save for the top ten clans, the Heavenly Court of today had no reason to fear any faction in the cosmos.
In just a few short years, it had risen to such a terrifying height—something unthinkable in the past. Yet now, it had become reality, evoking awe not only from Zhu Qingyu and the others, but also from the extraterrestrial beings whenever they reflected on it.
***
Atop Jade Emperor Peak on Mount Tai, Lu Yuan remained immersed in cultivation.
By now, he had ascended to the pinnacle of the Heavenly Position Immortal Realm. However, in terms of combat power, it was not substantially different from before. Once someone reached this stage, raising their strength further became extraordinarily difficult. Moreover, his combat prowess was already at a terrifying level; unless he could break straight into the next realm, further growth was nearly impossible. And clearly, Lu Yuan had no way to accomplish that just yet.
Having reached the peak of the Heavenly Position Immortal Realm, he chose not to continue cultivating and brought his seclusion to an end.
Since his personal strength had temporarily plateaued, it was time to help the members of the Heavenly Court grow a fraction stronger as well.
Earlier, thanks to his continuous blessings of destiny power, a group of people had already reached the Immortal Realm. Lu Yuan hoped their strength could advance yet another step.
Shortly thereafter, he gathered Zhu Qingyu, Ice Fairy, and several others. He would personally instruct them in their subsequent cultivation, while other day-to-day matters could temporarily be left in Jiang Ningxian's hands.
As a Heavenly Position Immortal, guiding them was a simple matter. At the same time, Lu Yuan continued to bestow destiny power tailored to each individual's circumstances. Armed with his Ancient Heavenly Emperor Tokens and his current cultivation realm, he commanded this power with exquisite precision. In just a few days, he had helped everyone elevate their strength by another level.
Zhu Qingyu and the others were thoroughly amazed. Cultivating and growing stronger on their own was no challenge, but never had progress come so swiftly or with such remarkable results. Inevitably, their reverence for Lu Yuan deepened even further.
Naturally, everyone understood in their hearts that all of this was done to prepare for the coming upheaval.
Having done everything he could, Lu Yuan knew he had exhausted his current options. He set out to inspect Mount Tai and Kunlun. From every standpoint, these two places were of paramount importance to Earth. Aware of their significance, Lu Yuan kept them under close watch. The good news was that the mysterious black mist had not manifested here; everything remained just as before, proving both sanctuaries were currently safe.
During this time, Jiang Ningxian also made progress in her cultivation and was nearing the Creation Immortal Realm. Still, breaking through would require more time and accumulation. Taking stock of her current state, she finally understood how her younger brother felt when facing Lu Yuan—it truly was an exercise in helplessness. No matter how hard one gave chase, overtaking him was simply impossible.
Jiang Ningxian could not help but marvel at the horrifying pace of Lu Yuan's cultivation. To go from being weaker than her to directly becoming a Heavenly Position Immortal was something unheard of across the entire cosmos. A realization quietly settled into her heart: Lu Yuan had reached a height where no one could catch up.
***
One day, atop Jade Emperor Peak on Mount Tai, Lu Yuan and Jiang Ningxian stood side by side, gazing into the distance.
"I can sense that certain rules on Earth are beginning to warp," Jiang Ningxian said, her tone grave. Though she was only a Grotto-Heaven Immortal and merely grasped the laws of the Grotto-Heaven, after so much time, she had begun to perceive the subtle shifts throughout this heaven and earth. "That black mist isn't altering the rules of just one area—it's going to affect the entire planet."
"Indeed. But for now, there is nothing we can do," Lu Yuan replied. "The extraterrestrial heavenly demons have prepared for this for a very long time. Unless we can destroy the altars scattered across the famous mountains and great rivers, all we can do is wait."
Over this period, they had explored other methods. Even if they could not destroy the black altars, sealing them with formations would have been an excellent solution. Yet they had attempted every approach to no avail. From that moment on, Lu Yuan had understood that their only recourse was to wait quietly for the extraterrestrial heavenly demons to descend.
Fortunately, everything that could be prepared had already been put in order. If catastrophe still struck under these conditions, there would be nothing left to say—it would simply mean their strength fell short.
"I only hope that moment comes as late as possible," Jiang Ningxian murmured after a pause.
The later it came, the more they could prepare, and the stronger their subordinates would become. Perhaps it would not change the final outcome significantly, but at least it brought some peace of mind.
Without further words, the two continued their preparations while biding their time.
Thus, time slipped by, bit by bit. The Heavenly Court maintained its vigilant watch over every famous mountain and great river, with any development reported immediately. For the most part, however, the intelligence proved uneventful.
Until this day, atop Mount Longhu.
A shroud of black mist unfurled as a dragon and a tiger surged upward into the sky. Yet this dragon and tiger differed from the ordinary; they were thoroughly tainted by the pitch-black vapor. And if one looked closely, figures could be seen standing deep within, upon the altar.
Chapter 558