Chapter 648: Experiment
The sudden change had made everyone feel burdened.
None of those present was ordinary. They were all exceptional individuals, each capable of sensing the changes unfolding within the Astral World through their secret arts or heightened perception.
The shiver that resonated from the depths of the soul, the overwhelming majesty that blotted out the heavens, the clash so immense that even the Eternal Solar Flare stood powerless, and... the cataclysm that shook the entirety of the Astral World. All of this was proof of the unimaginable level of the one who had intervened.
These individuals were the chosen seeds of the Eternal Ascent of Humanity Initiative. Though they had yet to officially join the initiative, an attack on them at this moment was nothing short of a direct insult to the Sacred Flame Hall, no, to the entire Human Race itself.
And yet, the enemy had done exactly that, and they had succeeded. This alone was a testament to their terrifying power.
"Highlord," Yun Lai whispered. "I've heard of this title before. It refers to a path distinct from the Supreme and Transcendent paths. It’s a path of absolute sovereignty. It signifies that one's existence is entirely self-contained, that one alone embodies everything."
In addition to Gao Shengyan, Yu Li, and Yu Xuexian, he made sure not to overlook Li Pin sharing the information.
"I've seen this term mentioned in some of my family's ancient texts," Yu Li added softly. "It describes an existence of immense power. Like the Transcendent Path, they exist outside the mainstream cultivation systems. While not as extreme as those aligned with the Void faction, they act with complete disregard for rules, doing as they please. Many are monitored and tracked the moment they enter human territory. Those with particularly notorious reputations are even expelled."
"Expelled?" Gao Shengyan exclaimed in surprise. "Wouldn't it be better to keep such formidable forces within human territory rather than drive them away and risk turning them into enemies?"
"If the Human Race weren't still trying to win them back, expulsion would be the least of their worries. They'd be hunted down instead. You have to understand, aside from a few with more temperate dispositions, most Highlords are utterly unrestrained. Their philosophy of absolute sovereignty is reflected in every action they take..."
Yun Lai paused at this point and didn't elaborate further. After all, it seemed they had already fallen into the grasp of a Highlord. Now was not the time to speak ill of such beings. One wrong move, and they could all be doomed.
This wasn't out of fear. It was simply knowing when to yield. As the saying goes, "A wise man wouldn't stand in front of an oncoming truck to prove his strength. Instead, he'd scatter nails on the road and let the truck crash on its own."