Chapter 129: The War Begins; Walking Upon the Heavens, I Alone Suffice

Not far from Mount Tai, both the Awakened ones and the authorities were watching. In the direction of the horizon, two more masses of black energy emerged. They stained the clouds pitch black, and their aura was incredibly potent, evoking the feeling of an encroaching darkness. Furthermore, various instruments detected immense life forces, confirming them to be of the Nether Ox clan. Among the creatures descending from beyond the stars, this clan was the most active; others seemed to have gone into hiding after landing.

Especially now. Three Nether Oxen from the Thunderous Star Sector had appeared. Previously, they had acted individually, but now they had chosen to unite.

"Three of them? Three at the fifth stage, the Sovereign King realm? How are we supposed to fight this?"

"It seems Mount Tai is too significant, so they’ve placed great importance on it, arriving one after another, intent on conquering this famous mountain."

"The Peacock King and the Nine-Tailed Fox King couldn't even handle one of them, and now there are three. Can King Lu really hold his own?"

People watched with deep anxiety. Even knowing that Lu Yuan’s combat power was formidable, he was still a realm lower, and now he faced three beings of the same high rank. Elder Ji, Elder Yun, and the others frowned as they watched. Although they had mobilized nuclear weapons, they could not guarantee that such measures would actually help Lu Yuan in this situation.

"Perhaps we should advise King Lu to lie low for a while," suggested Elder Yun. Once a man of aggressive temperament who acted decisively in everything, he found this situation exceeded all expectations. His logic was simple: while retreating from Mount Tai was an option, they could not allow King Lu to take such a risk. What if something went wrong?

Elder Ji shook his head. He knew that once Lu Yuan made a decision, he would not change it; that was simply not his character. He and the others decided that if an unexpected situation arose and the nuclear weapons proved useless, they would go to the frontlines themselves. Even if it meant certain death, they could not hide behind King Lu forever.

Outside, the public was already in a state of panic due to the appearance of the three Nether Oxen. Even those who had absolute confidence in Lu Yuan’s strength fell silent. If it were only one, it would be manageable, but now... it seemed Mount Tai might fall.

Lu Yuan, however, was unaware of this. In a room at the Trial Academy, he felt the aura released by the Nether Oxen—it was indeed very strong. The next moment, Lu Yuan opened his eyes, a flicker of light surging within them before fading away.

"I have fully mastered the power of the Golden Body realm. Now, I shall see just how much my combat strength has improved." With a look of anticipation, he stood up and walked out of the room. Beside him, Jiang Ningxian had been in seclusion for several days, likely undergoing some transformation, so he did not disturb her. Instead, he looked up at the sky.

Three distinct auras were surging toward the Jade Emperor Peak. They were already within the bounds of Mount Tai. Their hundred-meter-tall bodies gathered their power, staining half the sky black with a terrifying momentum.

"King Lu..." Zhu Qingyu approached, her eyes filled with deep concern. Even those who had absolute faith in Lu Yuan were starting to worry. These were extra-terrestrial beings.

"Tell Elder Ji and Elder Yun that it won't take long," Lu Yuan said with a calm smile. As soon as he finished speaking, he stepped into the air and vanished at an incredible speed, heading straight for the summit of Mount Tai.

On the Jade Emperor Peak, the live broadcast had already begun. The three Sovereign King-level Nether Oxen had descended, each massive and imposing. Opposite them stood three Beast Kings, led by the Spirit Monkey. Their eyes were sharp as they maintained a combat stance, releasing their own auras. However, because they were an entire evolutionary stage below, they were firmly suppressed despite their extraordinary bloodlines.

"You three are quite impressive. Surrender this Mount Tai and become our servants," the leader of the Nether Oxen rumbled. It spoke the name "Mount Tai" accurately, clearly having researched Earth before descending. Upon reaching the summit, it wasted no time, demanding their submission. Might makes right.

"You are delusional," the Peacock King retorted angrily. "Mount Tai belongs to the creatures of this world. Why should we surrender it to you? You want us to submit? Given time, who is to say who will be stronger?" As a Beast King, it had too much pride to tolerate such arrogance from an extra-terrestrial being. Had its injuries not been so severe, it would have fought regardless of the odds.

"There is nothing more to say. Surrender is impossible; we will fight," the Spirit Monkey growled, its golden fur bristling. Its iron rod began to glow, signaling its readiness for battle. The Nine-Tailed Fox King said nothing, but her resolute gaze spoke volumes. All the great mountains and rivers belonged to the creatures of this world; these beings were nothing more than invaders.

"The Galaxy Sector has only just been unsealed and granted extraordinary power; to be so ignorant is laughable," the lead Nether Ox sneered, releasing waves of black energy that surged menacingly. The Galaxy Sector was the name used by the great extra-terrestrial clans for this region of the universe.

"If it wants to fight, then let it fight."

"They are merely low-level creatures; no need to waste more words," another Nether Ox added. Though not in human form, their attitude was one of utter superiority, as if looking down upon lowly natives. With that, the three Sovereign King-level Nether Oxen stepped forward, their black energy coalescing.

*Boom! Boom! Boom!*

The Jade Emperor Peak trembled. They were truly powerful; even without striking, the energy erupting from within them was immense. At the Sovereign King realm, one could survive in the vacuum of space. Their terrifying aura surged, forming a torrent of black energy. The three Nether Oxen intended to crush the three Beast Kings with sheer pressure alone.

*Rumble!*

The terrifying power swept across the summit, forming a storm that engulfed the Jade Emperor Peak. Except for the Spirit Monkey, the Beast Kings were severely injured and had not yet recovered; they were forced to retreat, unable to withstand the pressure.

This scene was broadcast live, leaving the public and the Awakened in horror. When the extra-terrestrial beings truly exerted themselves, they were even stronger than anticipated. A human would have been crushed by the aura alone. However, Beast Kings remained Beast Kings, and the Spirit Monkey, with its powerful bloodline, rallied after taking two steps back and charged forward.

"Simply suicidal," one of the Nether Oxen roared, extending a claw like a heavenly blade to attack. The Peacock King was also prepared and, without hesitation, unleashed its power, determined to make these invaders pay even if it meant death.

*Boom!*

But at that very moment, another powerful force emerged, surging forth like a volcano. Golden blood energy appeared, piercing through the black energy of the Jade Emperor Peak like a ray of light. Simultaneously, Lu Yuan walked through the air, descending slowly, his aura raging. In an instant, he pushed back the energy released by all three Sovereign Kings. Facing the incoming claw of the Nether Ox, he did not utter a word, delivering only a simple punch.

*Thud!*

The blood energy vibrated, rippling outward and shattering the clouds in the sky.

*Crack!*

Across from him, the attacking Nether Ox's claw snapped, and its entire limb cracked, spurting out a pool of black blood. This all happened in an instant—the tide turned in less than a breath.

"King Lu!" The three Beast Kings sighed in relief. Watching the Nether Ox retreat with a shattered limb, they were shocked. He was even stronger than they had imagined.

"King Lu is here!"

"He repelled an extra-terrestrial being with a single blow?"

"As expected, King Lu is still King Lu."

The viewers of the live stream were ecstatic. On the Jade Emperor Peak, Lu Yuan did not rush to follow up. He turned to the three Beast Kings and smiled. "Well done. You’ve arrived just in time. Rest now."

The Spirit Monkey was restless. "Isn't it said that humans and exotic beasts should join forces?" It believed in Lu Yuan's strength, but thought their assistance would make things easier.

"No need. To deal with them, I alone am enough," Lu Yuan said, turning his gaze toward the three Nether Oxen. Light surged in his eyes as he gathered his power.

"What kind of being are you? Are you a creature of this world?" The lead Nether Ox could feel a terrifying, potent energy within Lu Yuan. Yet, by all appearances, he seemed to be only at the fourth stage, the Golden Body realm. This was strange; logically, such a being should not exist in the Galaxy Sector at this stage. It assumed he must be from another world.

"The one who will kill you."

Lu Yuan couldn't be bothered with small talk. He took a step forward, no longer suppressing his power.

*Boom!*

In an instant, his golden blood energy surged like an ocean, covering a radius of several hundred meters. His internal organs pulsed, no longer like the beating of drums, but with the roar of thunder. At this moment, Lu Yuan looked extraordinary. Even facing three massive extra-terrestrial beings, his aura was not the slightest bit inferior. His ocean of blood energy suppressed them entirely, and his aura continued to rise.

"This is bad, this human is a freak! Attack together!" The lead Nether Ox was terrified. It felt an extreme sense of danger. Whether or not it understood his origins mattered little now; the only thing that mattered was surviving this threat.

In an instant, they released terrifying power, their black energy surging into a torrent. Across from them, Lu Yuan’s golden blood energy grew even more intense as he stepped forward, suspended in mid-air. Below, Elder Ji and Elder Yun stood outside the Trial Academy, looking toward the Jade Emperor Peak with expressions of shock. High above, golden blood energy collided with black energy. With a roar like a detonating nuclear bomb, the sheer force of their clash shook the mountains and forests. An unprecedented battle, the likes of which had not been seen since the dawn of the new era, was about to begin.