Chapter 237. Changing World, the Immortals Manifest, the World Falls Into Chaos
Chapter 237. Changing World, the Immortals Manifest, the World Falls Into Chaos
It came suddenly and without any warning. Deep rumbling noises shook the world, and a boundless, overwhelming aura manifested at once. Part of it rolled in from the cosmos, while part of it came from Earth itself, and it made everyone feel as if the very firmament were about to collapse above them.Every living creature on Earth sensed it. They all looked up, and some mutated beasts even dropped flat to the ground, trembling in fear.
It seemed like the apocalypse was here, and it birthed unprecedented terror in their hearts. A terror unlike anything they had ever known.
Lu Yuan and the others still en route to Mount Tai felt it too.
They turned their eyes to the skies at the same instant. They had already anticipated that another great upheaval was coming, but they still felt incomparably shocked in the face of it.
Every living creature that looked up saw the same thing, and color drained from their faces at once.
Above the firmament, massive "stars" winked into existence one after another, emanating dim lights as they rotated slowly in the void. Each star was incomprehensibly vast, and they appeared without warning.
Their close proximity to Earth and their size made it look as though they'd crash into the planet at any moment.
Moreover, it was broad daylight with clear skies and not a cloud in sight. Yet the skies were suddenly filled with "stars," hanging above the firmament with terrifying clarity. Even the sun paled beside them, making it look no longer as dazzling.
Everyone on Earth was stupefied at the sight, wondering whether they were dreaming.
Unfortunately, this was only the beginning. Eventually, figures appeared atop those colossal "stars," looming over Earth. Their figures were shrouded in a blinding light, and the auras they exuded were so overwhelmingly powerful that the stars around them trembled as if they were aspen trees instead.
They gazed down on Earth, looking as if they would descend at any moment.
No one on Earth understood what was happening in outer space, but the scene before their eyes made one thing undeniable—the solar system had changed greatly. It no longer resembled anything humanity had ever known.
"My clan's warning truly came true." Jiang Ningxian stared up at the sky, her expression grim. "The Immortals from the various starfields have appeared. They used their powerful divine arts to project the presence of their starfields here."
"Their goal is to use those projections to gnaw away at the power of the Separation of Heaven and Earth, making it easier for their people to descend," she added.
Those figures standing on the distant "stars" were Immortals; they were beings who could truly be considered at the peak of the universe.
"Does that mean that they haven't actually reached the solar system yet?" Lu Yuan asked. In his memory, the clans from the Outer Cosmos hadn't arrived this quickly.
"Correct." Jiang Ningxian nodded. "They've merely projected the auras of their respective ancestral planets onto Earth. They're hoping to influence this world from afar and build a star path in the process.
"Their actual arrival is still some time away."
"However, if they succeed, the Separation of Heaven and Earth will become completely ineffective," added Jiang Ningxian with a solemn voice.
The full picture appeared in Lu Yuan's mind upon hearing that. Earth's Awakening had drawn the covetous eyes of the major clans from the Outer Cosmos. However, the Separation of Heaven and Earth suppressed the strongest among them, preventing their descent, just like how it had suppressed Lei You.
Now, they intended to destroy Earth's final line of defense outright. Once it was no longer around, they could come and go as they pleased. This was their goal; they wanted to turn Earth into their personal backyard—a place they could access at will without any restrictions.
Achieving it would take some time; at the moment, it wasn't possible.
Once the Separation of Heaven and Earth was breached, every living creature on Earth would be in mortal danger. Even in the best-case scenario, they would be reduced to inferior beings to be ordered around by those major clans at will.
Lu Yuan could say that for sure, as that was exactly what had happened back then.
"Is there any way to stop them?" Lu Yuan asked. He knew perfectly well that he was too weak to face the full-scale descent of the major clans from the Outer Cosmos. The only viable option was to disrupt that particular plan of theirs.
"I don't know yet. I need to contact my clan." Jiang Ningxian shook her head, lamenting that the Immortals had acted far faster than anyone had anticipated. They were caught off guard by their quick decision.
"Then let's get back to Mount Tai first and figure it out from there," said Lu Yuan, taking a deep breath. The best course of action right now was to regroup with Elder Ji and the others. Then, they could work out a solution step by step. In the worst-case scenario, even he would be powerless to change anything.
No more words were exchanged. The Golden-Winged Great Peng let out a piercing cry, and its wings beat harder as it rushed forward. The Peacock King understood the urgency and stuck close to the peng.
Fortunately, Mount Tai was no longer far away and was only a few dozen days away at most.
Throughout their journey, they kept a watchful eye on the changes unfolding in outer space. The colossal "stars" were drifting closer and closer, and the Immortals seated on them remained shrouded in brilliant light.
The observers noticed that each star had distinct characteristics. Some were riddled with lightning and storms, while others radiated a primal, savage energy.
A few stars pulsed with a light that looked so holy it made it appear as though they were the abode of the gods. Every single star was massive, bigger than Earth itself.
Eventually, the invaders already on Earth revealed the truth—those weren't stars, but the Ancestral Planets of the top hundred major clans in the Outer Cosmos.
Soon, the beings living on them would descend on Earth.
The invaders began to get busy. Knowing that their powerhouses were on the way, they became bold and daring. Lu Yuan's reputation had been keeping them in check. No one was his match, so they all chose to lie low.
Now that powerful powerhouses were about to descend, including figures beyond the Sage Realm, why would they be afraid of a mere Lu Yuan?
One by one, they emerged and began making declarations. They declared that Earth would soon be ruled by the major clans of the Outer Cosmos. A great disaster would befall Earth, and the world would be plunged into chaos.
Of course, they also declared that they were willing to take in certain humans, pass down breathing techniques and visualization methods to them, and offer protection from the oncoming typhoon of a storm.
Most people rejected them outright, insisting they had no need for protection from outsiders. However, a portion of them fell silent, saying nothing.
Meanwhile, the financial conglomerates and corporate powers that had already established ties with the beings from Outer Cosmos jumped ship without hesitation.
The world became tumultuous once more.
The officials acted on Lu Yuan's prior instructions and pulled their forces back. They refrained from making any public statements on the matter. The reason was simple—they knew this was beyond their ability to address. All they could do was wait for Lu Yuan's return.
***
A sprawling complex of buildings lay hidden somewhere in a mountain range. It was the secret stronghold of the Zhou Family.
Inside a sealed chamber, the Zhou Family Head stood before a black cauldron. Streams of light converged on the cauldron, coalescing into a human silhouette. It was none other than Zhou Yunqiong, the woman Lu Yuan had killed.
"Daughter, just hold on a little longer, just a bit longer..." The Zhou Family Head's voice was tight with urgency. "The Ji Clan's people will be here soon. They'll help reconstruct your physical body."
Zhou Yunqiong was the Zhou Family's last hope. Had it not been for the life-preserving talisman that great personage had bestowed upon her, her death would have been guaranteed.
The Zhou Family Head's hatred for Lu Yuan burned hot. He wanted nothing more than to flay the man alive and rip every tendon from his body, but he was too weak. He wasn't Lu Yuan's match, so he could only curse the man inwardly.
However, all of that would change soon—the Ji Clan was coming.
Once that great personage was here, Lu Yuan was sure to die.