Chapter 581. Targeting Mount Tai, Preparing to Fight with Everything

After leaving the Eternal Warship, the experts of the Eternals and the Ji Clan traveled to several famous mountains and great rivers. There, they began attacking beings from other starfields, particularly those who had previously remained neutral.

They did not target everyone. Their focus was clearly on those with close ties to the Celestial Court.

Several battles soon broke out. Although the Outer Cosmos beings had powerful experts among them, they were no match for the two factions. A few Grotto-Heaven Immortals managed to hold their ground at first, only for Creation Immortals to descend at the crucial moment and kill them.

Within a short time, two or three Grotto-Heaven Immortals had fallen.

The message to the Celestial Court was clear. It would be next.

"What do we do? They've already begun attacking. They've sent Grotto-Heaven Immortals and Creation Immortals, and Celestial Seat Immortals may appear next. We..."

Ice Fairy and the others had gathered on Mount Tai once more. They knew the Eternals and the Ji Clan had already decided to attack the Celestial Court. Their actions elsewhere were merely meant to intimidate anyone who might resist.

No one feared for their own life. Their concern was whether they could still protect the five supercities if Creation Immortals or even Celestial Seat Immortals descended.

The answer was obvious. The disparity was too great.

Everyone turned toward Jiang Huanyun, hoping he had received news from elsewhere in the cosmos.

"When the time comes, I'll do everything I can," Jiang Huanyun said after a moment's thought. "But that isn't what concerns me most. I want to know why the two factions have been visiting so many famous mountains and great rivers. What are they planning? I haven't been able to determine their purpose, but I know it is no ordinary matter."

His concerns extended beyond the safety of Earth's inhabitants and the Celestial Court. The enemy's secret arrangements might affect the entire universe.

As a member of the Jiang Clan, Jiang Huanyun knew what had happened on the Celestial Star. He suspected Earth might now face the same fate. The Eternals and the Ji Clan had also deployed much of their true strength here, which suggested that whatever they were planning was far from simple.

Zhu Qingyu shook her head. "Senior, we still don't know what they did in those mountains. We even called upon the mutated beasts for help, but we couldn't gather any useful information."

Jiang Huanyun had ordered them to investigate as soon as the two factions began visiting the famous mountains and great rivers. Ordinarily, the mutated beasts scattered across the world could uncover almost anything they needed to know. However, the enemy was simply too powerful this time. There was nothing Zhu Qingyu and the others could do.

"It's fine," Jiang Huanyun said with a faint smile. "You've already done everything you could. There's no need to dwell on it. Even if we learned the truth now, I'm afraid it would be too late to change anything."

Since the two factions had begun eliminating the Outer Cosmos beings who might oppose them, their earlier preparations were most likely complete. Whatever they had left within the famous mountains and great rivers no longer mattered. The Celestial Court had no time to interfere with it now.

Everyone fell silent. There was nothing left to do but wait.

Rumble!

A violent roar suddenly shook the air. Powerful auras descended one after another, raging across the sky.

Had the two factions finally lost patience?

The same thought crossed everyone's mind. They rose without a word and hurried to Jade Emperor Peak.

A battle was about to begin, one in which many would likely die. It might be them or those standing beside them. Perhaps no one would be spared.

When they reached the peak, they saw vast clouds gathering overhead as thunder rolled across the sky for thousands of miles. High above, a massive warship slowly bore down upon Mount Tai, its overwhelming pressure engulfing the entire mountain.

Most of the Celestial Court's forces had already been dispatched to protect the ordinary citizens in the five supercities. Only its core members and strongest experts remained on Mount Tai, knowing this would be the enemy's first target.

They could not concentrate the Celestial Court's full strength here. The Outer Cosmos beings who had submitted to the two factions might attack the five supercities at any moment. Protecting the greater number of people required them to divide their forces.

"They've truly come," Zhu Qingyu said solemnly. "The battle ahead will surpass every clash we've faced before."

Even the Eternal Warship had appeared. The two factions were clearly determined to destroy the Celestial Court's core, and Celestial Seat Immortals were almost certainly overseeing the assault from aboard the ship.

No matter how desperately the Celestial Court resisted, it was unlikely to stop them.

Still, no one considered surrender. They might save themselves by fleeing, but countless others would die. Who would protect the ordinary citizens in the five supercities then?

Without a word, they stood together.

As both the strongest among them and their senior, Jiang Huanyun took his place at the very front. He knew he was no match for the two factions and would likely die once they attacked.

Some things had to be done regardless.

Rumble!

The pressure intensified, making Mount Tai quake beneath their feet. Zhu Qingyu and the others felt the crushing weight of the power bearing down upon them, but every one of them held firm.

"Mount Tai? The Celestial Court? You truly dared name your faction the Celestial Court. Such audacity."

A voice rang out from the void, making even the distant stars tremble. Then another terrifying presence descended.