Chapter 118: Striking at the Heart, Two Choices, A Single Battle to Decide the Fate of All

Along the shores of the Bohai Sea, the ground lay scorched black. The seawater mingled with blood, a grim testament to the battle that had unfolded. Scores of massive ships bore deep cracks, threatening to shatter under the strain.

Most disciples of the Three Immortals Island lay motionless on the ground, their breath extinguished. Only the Elder of Penglai remained standing, though even he bled from his body. Were it not for his cultivation at the Golden Body Realm, he would have long since succumbed.

His expression was a mix of shock and terror as he gazed at the figure before him, trembling all over. Especially after hearing Lu Yuan’s recent words, he involuntarily stepped back.

Reasonable talk? Indeed, hadn’t he just proclaimed before that the fist was the only truth?

“All matters can be discussed; all conditions can be reconsidered,” the Elder of Penglai said fearfully. He could not comprehend how such a powerful human had appeared on the mainland, but he knew that at such a moment, concessions were necessary.

This man was truly strange. Though he appeared only at the Shackled Realm, how could he possess such formidable combat strength? Even breaking multiple genetic shackles should not yield such power. Truly astonishing.

Regardless, he understood what had to be done now and chose to submit.

“Talk?” Lu Yuan shook his head softly. “There is nothing to discuss.” Without further words, his entire body surged once more with vital energy. His internal organs trembled, emitting a thunderous roar, and his aura flared anew.

Suddenly, a colossal thunderbolt descended from the sky.

Boom!

The power of the thunderclap rippled through the air.

The Elder of Penglai, already grievously wounded, had no chance to resist and was instantly struck down.

The strongest among the Golden Body cultivators was dead. From start to finish, it had taken only a few minutes, and the tide of battle had wholly reversed.

Lu Yuan remained standing calmly in place, his expression unruffled.

His current strength made cross-realm killing effortless. Otherwise, how could he justify the accumulation of countless divine relics?

“Elder Ji, Elder Yun, I entrust the remaining disciples of the three sects to you,” Lu Yuan said without hesitation.

Those remaining were injured to various degrees. Though alive, they had lost the ability to resist. The power held by the upper echelons was more than sufficient to handle them; there was no cause for worry.

“King Lu,” Elder Ji approached, his face somewhat dejected. He had thought he could resolve matters alone but had not expected that in the end, it would be King Lu who restored order. To him, it was a defeat.

Elder Yun shared this sentiment.

“I understand your thoughts, elders, and they are not without reason,” Lu Yuan smiled at them. “In this new era, supernatural powers grow ever stronger. Firearms will inevitably become obsolete. Cultivating a few genuine masters to stand guard is crucial.”

He spoke little, merely offering the official leadership a correct perspective. How they chose to proceed was up to them.

Indeed, in the previous lifetime, the authorities realized this through their battle against the overseas Three Immortals Island. They changed course, pouring resources into nurturing the next generation. Even then, the cost was great.

Three Immortals Island belonged to true awakeners, with a deeper foundation. Firearms were ineffective against them. This was why Lu Yuan chose to act now and also offered a warning.

In the early stages of the mutation, firearms were useful—they could intimidate many. Even terrifying nuclear weapons existed, bolstering official confidence. But ultimately, such weapons were destined for obsolescence.

“We understand,” the two elders nodded, knowing what to do next.

“Very well. Since that is so, I must attend to more pressing matters,” Lu Yuan smiled.

“Pressing matters?” Elder Ji was taken aback. “The problem is resolved. What else remains? The disciples who landed have lost their threat; shouldn’t we rest now?”

Elder Yun and the others shared this confusion.

Lu Yuan turned his gaze toward three islands swirled in purple clouds in the distance and said softly, “Naturally, to strike at the heart of the matter.”

With that, the golden eagle that had been circling above descended, carrying him directly toward the Three Immortals Island.

Waiting for trouble to arise before dealing with it was cumbersome. Taking preemptive action was best.

“King Lu intends to assault the Three Immortals Island?” Elder Yun was stunned, momentarily speechless.

“Since His Majesty has decided, there must be reason. We will handle our current tasks,” Elder Ji said, knowing Lu Yuan planned to help them resolve subsequent troubles once and for all, much like when he had first descended upon Olympus Mountain.

There was no use overthinking now; better to wait here for good news.

The others voiced no objection and began clearing the battlefield.

Meanwhile, above the Bohai Sea, Lu Yuan stood atop the golden eagle’s back, gazing at the three fairy islands. The sky was ablaze with radiant clouds, truly resembling fabled paradises that inspired awe.

But as they flew closer, he noticed no change in the islands’ appearance from what he had seen from the shore.

“Jiang Ningxian said the Three Immortals Islands exist within a folded space, difficult for outsiders to enter without special methods. That appears to be true,” Lu Yuan mused. This was his first encounter with such a phenomenon, yet he remained unhurried.

Previously, he would have been powerless, as it lay beyond human understanding. But now was different.

Lu Yuan produced the jade slip given to him by Jiang Ningxian. Following the instructions, he did not hesitate to crush it.

Crack.

The jade slip shattered into powder.

In an instant, the powder emitted streams of radiant light that gathered together.

In the distance, the three islands trembled slightly, becoming clearer above the sea surface.

A low roar arose.

The radiant light formed a luminous passage, a rainbow-like bridge linking him directly to the islands.

Lu Yuan sensed that through this passage, entry into the islands was possible.

“Consider this a favor to you,” he said with a smile. Without this, he surely could not have penetrated the folded space enclosing the islands.

The golden eagle seemed to sense this too, steering toward the passage. As a beast king, it naturally understood such matters.

Approaching the passage, Lu Yuan detected a peculiar aura emanating from the Three Immortals Islands, unlike any external energy.

It bore a suffocating, indescribable weight, as if bound and restrained.

“The Absolute Heaven-Earth Connection outside is gradually losing efficacy, yet the Three Immortals Islands’ resources dwindle. The environment has changed,” Lu Yuan murmured, grasping the situation.

To put it simply, it was a matter of survival. Ordinary people might not notice, but the island’s inhabitants were mostly awakeners. Yet the place no longer supported their cultivation or evolution.

Over time, all would become ordinary humans, losing their supernatural powers.

As Jiang Ningxian had said, they must emerge periodically to plunder the outer world’s fortune, lest they exhaust their own resources.

Soon, as Lu Yuan fully entered the islands’ domain, the scene confirmed his thoughts.

From afar, the three islands appeared not lush and suffused with purple mist as seen from outside, but shrouded in dusk.

Their massive trees and vegetation stood barren, devoid of any semblance of an immortal realm.

This was the folded space, emerging truly only after the world’s revival.

Yet here, resources were nearly depleted.

Below, the golden eagle emitted a sharp cry and pressed forward.

“Who dares trespass upon our islands?” a voice thundered, echoing around.

At that moment, dozens of figures flew out from the three islands, led by three elders whose auras were the strongest.

Their ability to fly indicated cultivation at the Golden Body Realm—a testament to the islands’ deep roots.

More than a dozen Golden Body cultivators existed here. Outside, they would be overlords.

The three leaders needed no introduction: the masters of Penglai, Fangzhang, and Yingzhou Islands, the so-called sect heads.

They had detected Lu Yuan the moment the passage opened and knew he was no friend, promptly appearing.

“Land dweller,” the Penglai master frowned coldly at Lu Yuan. “You have crossed the boundary.”

“Speak—how did you enter?” the Fangzhang master asked sternly.

“Enough talk, strike first,” the Yingzhou master commanded.

Like their dispatched disciples, they were arrogant and domineering.

Seeing Lu Yuan arrive on the golden eagle, they assumed he was not a Golden Body cultivator and thus posed no serious threat.

Yet they found it strange that their emissaries had not reported back, but for now, their priority was to deal with the intruder.

Lu Yuan met their gazes calmly, without waste words.

“I come on behalf of the mainland and offer you two choices: complete submission to serve the mainland, or annihilation.”

His purpose was not solely to kill. These men, though treacherous, possessed great strength. With many crises ahead, they could at least serve as enforcers.

Loyalty was no concern. Having sealed a blood pact with the Golden-Winged Roc, and with the Bodhi Ancient Tree’s blessing, Lu Yuan could devise a method to bind the island’s strong ones.

In truth, he disliked such measures, but desperate times called for desperate means.

Perhaps a great battle was inevitable.

“Impudent!” “How dare you!” “You court death!”

The three sect heads erupted in rage.

They had not expected this land dweller to demand submission outright; where did he get such confidence?

But now, their anger overrode all else. To offend was to invite the severest punishment.

Without further words, led by the three masters, the Golden Body cultivators charged forward.

A mere Shackled Realm cultivator—how could he possibly overturn the heavens?

Above, Lu Yuan stood atop the golden eagle, a smile playing on his lips.

Suddenly, an overwhelming aura burst forth from him. Behind him, a blazing sun slowly rose like the morning dawn, golden blood swirling around, illuminating him as a true celestial deity descending.

There was no other reason—this battle would decide the fate of all!

(End of Chapter)