Chapter 449. The Battle Begins, Crushing Everyone All by Himself
The majestic aura that seemed like it reigned supreme over a myriad living beings swept across everyone. The golden pillar of light was so tall and dazzling that it appeared to be a landmark indicating the very center of this world.
Everyone looked up and saw the Celestial Emperor's Ancient Token bobbing up and down within the golden pillar of light that was illuminating the dimmed firmament.
"The Celestial Emperor's Ancient Token! That's the Celestial Emperor's Ancient Token!"
"What are we waiting for?! Let's go!"
"This is our chance to change our destinies!"
Voices echoed everywhere as everyone stared at the Celestial Emperor's Ancient Token in disbelief. The rumor was one thing, but clapping their eyes on it and sensing its heart-shaking power was a different story.
The boundless might of the token shook them to their core. They felt that if they obtained the Celestial Emperor's Ancient Token, they could change their own destinies and become a true powerhouse.
Rumble!
Another deafening roar echoed from the skies, and the ground jolted once more.
"Let's go! Take the Celestial Emperor's Ancient Token!"
The Eternals and the Ji Clan moved as well. This was what they had come for in the first place. Though they knew it would be troublesome, they didn't hesitate and rushed forward.
The Eternals and the Ji Clan had brought their subordinates with them, like the Nether Bull Clan, the Celestials, and more. They sent them out to hold back the crowd while their powerhouses made a beeline for the token.
In that very same instant, the others decisively moved out as well.
In the proverbial blink of an eye, waves of powerful auras rushed out like a deluge, pervading every inch of space between heaven and earth. The Sages faced other Sages, while the Immortals rushed to keep other Immortals in check. The peace mere moments ago disappeared instantly, as the situation devolved into chaos.
Nearly everyone joined in the fray, scrambling over one another to reach Mount Emei as fast as possible. They all had one common goal—to seize the Celestial Emperor's Ancient Token for themselves. With that goal in mind, they went all-out, unleashing everything without hesitation.
"We can move now, too," Lu Yuan remarked. He knew he couldn't just watch from the sidelines. The Celestial Emperor's Ancient Token looked far off, but to an Immortal, a single step was enough to reach it. Hence, Lu Yuan had to move now and seize the opportunity.
He ordered the Celestial Court members to act, but rather than fighting for the token, he told them to deal with the Nether Bulls and the Celestials. Against those they had grievances with, he told them to hold nothing back.
"Understood!"
Zhu Qingyu, Ice Fairy, and the others realized that this was a trial by fire from King Lu. At their point of evolution, the only way for them to improve further was to hone themselves through battles.
The past fights they had so far were mere child's play; this was a true fight to the death. With the Celestial Emperor's Ancient Token at stake, no one would hold back. Some among them could die, but there was no helping it. The path of evolution had always been brutal, and Lu Yuan couldn't possibly keep every last one of them alive forever.
Just like that, the battle began. The members of the Celestial Court exchanged blows with the beings from the Outer Cosmos. The Celestials, the Nether Bulls, the Three-Headed Ghosts, and the Yin Sparrow. Lu Yuan had long stopped seeing them as real opponents, and today, they became the targets of the Celestial Court.
When they had first descended, they were overbearing to the extreme, and many Awakened had died at their hands. Attacking them right now could be considered revenge.
Watching the chaos, Jiang Ningxian asked, "What about us?"
Mount Emei had become chaotic, as everyone was trying to approach the Celestial Emperor's Ancient Token. However, none of them had been able to approach the token, as they were immediately marked once they were close enough.
Even the Grotto-Heaven Immortals of the Eternals and the Ji Clan were stopped dead in their tracks. The experts of the other clans and races had moved in as well, interrupting the Ji Clan and the Eternals' plan.
Overall, they could not match the Eternals and the Ji Clan, but they could put forward beings at the Grotto-Heaven Realm. They knew how important the Celestial Emperor's Ancient Token was, so they were all the less willing to let go.
Jiang Ningxian and the Jiang Clan members behind her couldn't help but frown. It was indeed hard to step in and fish amidst these chummed waters. The decider would most likely come down to those Grotto-Heaven Immortals. Unfortunately, they were too weak to face those Grotto-Heaven Immortals.
Lu Yuan said nothing in response and simply stayed where he stood. He still didn't know whether a Creation Immortal would appear. A Creation Immortal was the real deal. Even he would have to take them seriously.
He also knew that no winner would be decided anytime soon. The battle among Grotto-Heaven Immortals was truly terrifying, and every move exchanged made the firmament shake. Moreover, they hadn't gone all-out. Otherwise, the wilderness around them would have been obliterated.
Thanks to the Global Awakening and the fact that Earth was within the Milky Way Starfield, a starfield once ranked among the top ten across the universe, the land remained intact.
The Separation of Heaven and Earth was also mending the surroundings at a rapid rate. Otherwise, perhaps the solar system itself would implode if those Grotto-Heaven Immortals finally decided to go all-out.
Just then, Jiang Huanyun appeared and said, "I've looked around, and I haven't picked up the aura of any Creation Immortals." He had been hidden in the shadows all along, not to wait for a chance to strike, but to watch out for any Creation Immortals. For now, he was fairly sure that there was none.
"So no Creation Immortals have shown up?" Lu Yuan asked. He fixed his gaze on the Celestial Emperor's Ancient Token, and his aura began to seep out of him.
"You've become a Grotto-Heaven Immortal, but it hasn't been that long since that breakthrough happened. And if you act rashly, you could get attacked from all sides," Jiang Huanyun said upon seeing that Lu Yuan was getting ready to move.
In fact, this was the reason he hadn't made a move himself; he was afraid of getting ganged up on. There were more than ten Grotto-Heaven Immortals in the field, and even he would struggle against so many of them.
To make matters worse, Lu Yuan's fame meant he could easily be singled out and focused on.
"I'm only worried about Creation Immortals. When it comes to Grotto-Heaven Immortals..." Lu Yuan trailed off and smiled faintly. Without the slightest hesitation, he stepped forward, and his golden vital qi burst out, shrouding him.
This was his first time making a move since he entered the Grotto-Heaven Realm, and he wanted to see just what he could do at this stage of evolution.
Lu Yuan's move left the Jiang Clan members stunned. His words seemed to mean one thing. He wanted to take on every Grotto-Heaven Immortal present all by himself.
However, that was impossible. After all, there was a massive gap between stages in the Immortal Realm. Even Jiang Ningxian, who had absolute faith in Lu Yuan, was shaken at the sight. Was he actually going to try to crush everyone all by himself?