Chapter 107: The Desolate Flame Star Domain, Descendants of Shennong, Severing All Celestial Connections!

Lu Yuan rose to his feet. He suppressed his aura and walked straight out of the room, heading into the living room to find a seat.

The two individuals from beyond the stars were aware that he had taken the small cauldron and knew about the Shennong Altar. Therefore, they had to be treated with caution. In his previous life, his decision to enter the Lishan Imperial Mausoleum had also been linked to them. Of course, he did not know these people personally; he only understood that there was a connection. As for who they were, where they came from, what their status was, or whether they were friend or foe, he remained largely in the dark. Back then, he had been too weak to reach the higher echelons of power; he hadn't even been a minor player.

Things were different now, but Lu Yuan still refused to let his guard down. He needed to determine their true purpose.

Before long, Elder Yun arrived with the young woman and the old man. As they entered the hall, Elder Yun spoke directly, "King Lu, the guests have arrived." Having previously discussed this matter with Lu Yuan, there was no need for formal pleasantries.

Lu Yuan stood up and looked at the old man first. The man possessed a powerful aura that seemed unfathomable; it was impossible to gauge his strength from his appearance, but he was undoubtedly formidable. The new era had arrived less than two years ago; unless one had made extensive preparations in advance, it would be impossible for anyone to reach such a level. Clearly, he was an extraterrestrial being.

Lu Yuan then shifted his gaze to the young woman. She possessed an extraordinary temperament, striking features, and a tall, graceful stature. She was perfect in almost every way, and with her ancient-style attire, she looked as if she had stepped out of a classical painting. She did not emit any aura, appearing just like an ordinary person.

Seeing this, Elder Yun said nothing and stepped out of the room, knowing the three had important matters to discuss and that his presence was unnecessary.

"Greetings, Lu Yuan. My name is Jiang Ningxian. I come from the Jiang clan of the Huangyan Star Domain—descendants of the Human Emperor Shennong, who also belongs to your world." The young woman, Jiang Ningxian, spoke with a bright smile, extending her right hand. She offered no superfluous words, simply introducing herself. Her name, much like her attire, carried a classical elegance.

"Descendants of the Human Emperor Shennong?" Lu Yuan felt a slight stir of surprise. He extended his hand to shake hers, equally concise: "I wonder, what brings the two of you here?"

Having obtained the Human Emperor's blood at the Shennong Altar—which, according to her, belonged to her ancestor—and knowing about the Ancestral Dragon Breathing Technique, he needed to understand their motives.

"In the near future, the great clans of various star domains will descend. This world is about to welcome an unprecedented golden age," Jiang Ningxian said after a moment of reflection. "I wish to cooperate with you, King Lu. Of course, I am not asking you to do anything specific; I only hope that when my clan arrives, we might have a small place to settle—not large, just a small plot of land will suffice. In return, to express our gratitude, my clan will offer sufficient sincerity. I hope you will agree."

She was direct and did not offer elaborate explanations. Throughout the conversation, her demeanor was humble, without a hint of arrogance. She spoke as if she were the one seeking a favor, even addressing him as "King Lu."

"I do not have the authority to grant that," Lu Yuan said, shaking his head. It was true; he held no official position. Such matters would have to be settled by Elder Ji and the others.

His response left Jiang Ningxian momentarily stunned. "King Lu, shouldn't you first ask about the arrival of the various star domains?"

A place to stay was a minor issue that could be negotiated later. The key was that he didn't seem curious about extraterrestrial beings at all. If anyone else in this world knew, they would surely be shocked and fearful. Yet, his reaction was as if he had anticipated this all along.

Lu Yuan merely smiled and remained silent. To him, this was no great secret. Perhaps she already knew something, and there was no need to explain further.

"I understand," Jiang Ningxian said, giving him a long look. She did not press the matter, adding, "I hope you will consider the request for a dwelling place. I am in no hurry, but I am sincere, and I will ensure that you—or rather, the authorities of this world—are satisfied. After all, the Jiang clan and you, along with everyone in Huaxia, share the same roots."

She had been here for some time and had learned much, including Lu Yuan's temperament. She understood that beyond cooperating with him, the most important factor was the authorities, and that Lu Yuan held significant influence over the entirety of Huaxia.

"I will pass this on," Lu Yuan nodded. He felt no hostility from Jiang Ningxian; from the moment she entered, she had been projecting goodwill. More importantly, in his previous life, the Huangyan Star Domain had indeed cooperated extensively with the authorities, and their relationship had been harmonious. In his memory, they were one of the top hundred star domains in the galaxy, and their ranking was quite high. However, this was the first time he learned that the Jiang clan stood behind that domain. The Jiangs were a truly great clan, unfathomably deep.

"Thank you," Jiang Ningxian said, a smile appearing on her face. She bowed slightly, acting with great courtesy.

"No need," Lu Yuan replied, continuing, "I believe you have other reasons for coming to see me, don't you?" In truth, she could have discussed the request for land directly with Elder Ji and Elder Yun. There was no need to meet him personally, so there had to be more. Perhaps it was about the small cauldron, or the Human Emperor's blood from the Shennong Altar.

"Naturally," Jiang Ningxian smiled. "I know that in the Lishan Imperial Mausoleum, King Lu obtained the Ancestral Dragon Breathing Technique, and at the Shennong Altar, you obtained the blood of my ancestor. Forgive my bluntness, but these were originally the targets of my Jiang clan. However, destiny favors those with a connection. Since you have obtained them, I will not say otherwise. Not only that, but I also wish to represent the Jiang clan in befriending you, and so I have prepared a gift—a gift with no strings attached."

As she finished speaking, she produced a small bronze furnace from her sleeve, three-legged and only a few inches tall. Yet, it radiated a divine, multicolored light. The moment it appeared, the temperature in the room rose significantly. At the very first glance, Lu Yuan felt the Blood-Qi Pagoda within his body tremble, as if it felt a mysterious attraction to the object.

"I have seen you fight, King Lu. Your blood-qi is surging and truly astonishing, but I always felt something was missing," Jiang Ningxian said, holding the furnace with immense sincerity. "This is the Great Sun Flame God Furnace. Even within our clan, it is considered a supreme treasure. It can help you refine your internal organs and your physique, stimulating your latent potential."

"This item is too precious. Miss Jiang should take it back," Lu Yuan said, waving his hand, choosing not to accept. There were no free lunches in this world; even if he knew the item would be of immense use to him, he would not accept such a favor so easily, even though she had stated there were no conditions attached.

"Very well," Jiang Ningxian did not force the issue and nodded. "Then once our cooperation is settled, I shall give it to you as a gift then." Clearly, she placed great importance on the collaboration, which was her primary goal. She knew that with Lu Yuan's current influence, negotiating directly would be far more efficient and save much trouble. More importantly, based on her observations, Lu Yuan carried even more weight than she had initially realized.

Jiang Ningxian did not linger. She produced a slip of paper and said, "This is how you can reach me. If there is any progress, feel free to contact me at any time. I hope to hear good news from you, King Lu." She nodded slightly and prepared to leave with the old man.

"Wait." Lu Yuan spoke up. He looked at the young woman and asked, "Miss Jiang, you said you are a descendant of the Human Emperor Shennong. I would like to know: what kind of era was that? And why, as a descendant of Shennong, would you travel across the stars to the beyond? Finally, what exactly happened in that distant past?"

These were questions that had troubled him for a long time—answers he had not found in two lifetimes. Now that she had revealed her identity, his curiosity was piqued even further. If they were descendants of Shennong, why were they not in this world, but in other star domains? What had happened? And what was the "great catastrophe" mentioned on the stone tablet at the Shennong Altar?

Jiang Ningxian paused and furrowed her brows in thought. Finally, she said, "King Lu, have you heard of the 'Severing of Heaven and Earth'?"

"I have. Ancient texts record that Zhuanxu, one of the Five Emperors of antiquity, severed the connection between heaven and earth, reclaiming the rights to sacrifice and separating gods from humans, so they would no longer communicate," Lu Yuan replied. He knew of such things, having studied myths extensively, though the accounts were often vague and subject to many interpretations.

"Yes, that is essentially what it means," Jiang Ningxian explained. "This world was not always this way. In ancient times, there were countless beings with great power, emerging one after another. But following various catastrophes and countless wars, to protect the human race, the sages of the time severed the connection between heaven and earth and erased a portion of history."

"The 'heaven' refers to the cosmos, and the 'earth' to this world. Severing the connection protected the human race, but it also caused this world to change drastically. Myths faded, and the transcendent became distant. However, in this current era, the limitations of that method are gradually beginning to fail."

Lu Yuan fell into deep thought. The explanation was bizarre, but it held a certain logic; otherwise, how could one explain the myths and legends? Yet, it flew in the face of everything he knew and overturned his entire worldview. To anyone else, it would sound like the ravings of a madman.

"As for why my clan crossed the stars, it was for the sake of war. In fact, many other great clans have left as well," Jiang Ningxian continued. "It is a very complex matter, impossible to explain in a few words. Even I know very little; it is shrouded in mist that requires careful exploration. In summary, this world will become the center of the entire universe. The coming golden age is an opportunity, but it is also a catastrophe."

She had explained as much as she could, but as she had admitted, her own information was limited.

"Is that so?" Lu Yuan murmured. He fell into deep contemplation, especially when he combined this with the memories of his previous life. Many thoughts surfaced, but they were chaotic and difficult to untangle; he needed more information to make a judgment.

"Oh, one more thing," Jiang Ningxian added suddenly. "It concerns the Wuzhou Group—specifically, that Zhou Yunqiong."