Chapter 82. Comprehending the Heaven-Earth Sword, Visitors from the Outer Cosmos? (2)

And so, even before Lu Yuan descended the mountain, the five deans had already reached a decision: Better to let go of the loss and forge a lasting connection instead.

Because it was clear to all of them that Lu Yuan would not walk the path of an ordinary Awakened.

He would rise to be a powerhouse. And when he did, the world would remember the name Lu Yuan.

In that case, establishing goodwill now was worth far more.

Yes, it stung to give up the inheritance. But none of them asked about it. Not a word.

"Thank you," Lu Yuan replied with quiet sincerity. Of course, he understood what they were thinking.

The leadership of Aurora Academy had shown a level of magnanimity and foresight that was rare among powerful factions. Had it been the Wuzhou Group or any of the other factions, this wouldn't have been the outcome.

Yet here, they had given him the space to explore Ancient Mount Shu freely. No strings attached. No conditions.

That was a gesture he would remember. He would not forget this favor.

Just then, a voice spoke.

"Mr. Lu," Dean Zheng stepped forward and asked, "What are your plans from here?"

The inheritance had already been claimed, but the real question now was what came next. Could they still deepen the connection? Was there still a chance to walk further alongside Lu Yuan? At this point, every bit of goodwill mattered.

Lu Yuan thought for a moment, then replied casually, "I'll head back to Chang'an first."

With the affairs at Ancient Mount Shu wrapped up, it was time to set off for the Qinling Mountains. That had always been the next destination in his plan.

Dean Zheng's eyes lit up at once. He had gotten what he wanted.

"Perfect," he said with a smile, "We've got a plane ready. You're welcome to travel with us."

He added, almost as an afterthought, "We'll wait for Zhu Qingyu and the Northern Emperor to finish up. They're still comprehending their chosen stele."

Lu Yuan, of course, didn't mind. A few more minutes wouldn't change anything. After exchanging a few polite words with the five deans, he moved off to a quiet spot and closed his eyes.

Heaven-Earth Sword. There was no rush. Its mysteries would take time to digest.

Not far away, Dean Chen turned to Dean Zheng and said, "Old Zheng, let's have the students from the other academies return to Chang'an with you for now."

He paused briefly before continuing, "Headquarters has predicted a high probability of a beast tide descending on Chang'an soon. You and Commander Xu need to be on full alert. We'll offer our support as well."

The decision wasn't just about logistics. Sending students over was also a way to bolster the city's defenses.

"Understood." Dean Zheng's expression darkened slightly as he gave a solemn nod. He knew this wasn't just a possibility; it was a warning.

The other four supercities had already faced beast tides, some more than once. Now, it was Chang'an's turn.

Lu Yuan even harbored this suspicion in his mind: Was it all just a coincidence? Or were the mutant beasts somehow coordinating?

But regardless, they had to make their preparations and couldn't afford to let their guard down.

The mutated beasts were humanity's true enemy.

The conversation ended there. The deans stood in silence, quietly watching the others still scattered across the Sword Mountain.

After Lu Yuan had descended, the others were not distracted and returned their focus to comprehending their chosen stele.

Just as Dean Chen had said earlier, Climbing was one thing, comprehension was another.

Many walked away with nothing but aching heads and lingering regret.

Only a few like the Northern Emperor, Ice Fairy, and Zhu Qingyu descended hours later, their eyes bright with triumph.

Each person's gain was different. Some grasped breathing techniques. Others awakened visualization methods, or even long-lost divine arts. A few, by sheer chance or alignment, unlocked fragments of Huaxia's ancient martial arts, techniques long believed extinct.

Seeing this, the five deans finally let out a collective breath. At least this time, the opening of Ancient Mount Shu had not been in vain.

And from this point onward, the mountain could continue to serve as a powerful attraction to draw in even more Awakened to come and seek their fortune.

In this new era, the number of people obtaining extraordinary powers was growing at an exponential rate.

The Academy's ultimate goal was to win through numbers. Even if only a few truly succeeded, that was more than enough. So long as they kept the gates open, eventually, something incredible was bound to emerge.

Meanwhile, Lu Yuan sat cross-legged off to the side, mind steady, breath slow.

He had already comprehended the divine art, Heaven-Earth Sword. And under the amplification of his billionfold talent, his understanding continued to deepen. There was no doubt in his mind that this sword art was on par with the Jade Emperor's Divine Thunder Art and Buddha's Palm Domain. In terms of offensive power, it might even surpass them.

The sword was born for battle. It was one of the purest and most terrifying forms of attack.

That said, Lu Yuan wasn't pouring all of his attention into that alone. From time to time, he kept tabs on the others around him.

Just as he had expected, Zhu Qingyu's bloodline and talent were both outstanding. With the two combined, she managed to comprehend an impressive visualization method from one of the sword steles. If Aurora Academy gave her the proper support, her future accomplishments could even surpass those of the Ice Fairy and the others.

But that made sense. This was only the beginning of the Global Awakening. The so-called "Top 100" rankings, or the "Five Supremes" were labels created by curious onlookers, not laws of nature.

As time passed, the real monsters would start to emerge. Dragons, hidden in the shallows, were waiting for the right moment to soar.

Ring-ring-ring.

Just then, Lu Yuan's phone began to ring. He glanced at the screen and his brows lifted slightly.

Chen Song? Why did he call?

After a moment's pause, Lu Yuan answered.

"Hello?"

—Lu? It's me, Chen Song.

The familiar voice on the other end went straight to the point as always.

—Sorry to bother you, but there's something important. I thought I should let you know right away.

"Oh?" Lu Yuan chuckled. "I'm listening."

"It's about that cauldron my family passed down," Chen Song began.

As it turned out, just last night, a woman showed up at his home. Looking around seventeen to eighteen years old, she wore traditional robes and not modern wear. Her appearance was breathtaking and even more stunning than Zhou Yunqiong.

Skipping the greetings and small talk, she showed up and said she wanted the bronze heirloom cauldron.

The problem was that Chen Song had never seen her before in his life. She wouldn't say who she was, either and just demanded the cauldron outright.

"And then?" Lu Yuan's voice lowered slightly, eyes narrowing as he looked out into the distance. He had a hunch. But he needed confirmation.

—Well, I told her it was lost a long time ago and I couldn't find it. Didn't mention your name, of course

Chen Song explained that the woman didn't feel right and gave him a sense of unease. He thought things might get dangerous so he cooked up an excuse. He then warned Lu Yuan earnestly that the woman was really weird and might be an Awakened and asked him to be more careful.

"...I see," Lu Yuan replied, his tone a little heavier now.

—By the way...

Chen Song trailed off for a moment, then rushed out a question that had clearly been burning in his chest.

—Lu, can I ask you something? I mean... you're not... you wouldn't happen to be one of the Five Supremes, right? That Human Sovereign guy?

After all, the internet was ablaze with speculation about the strongest five Awakened in the world. Naturally, Chen Song had seen the photos and videos.

But Lu Yuan's physique and aura had changed significantly.

So while the suspicion lingered... Chen Song couldn't be sure. This call wasn't just to pass along a warning. He also wanted answers.

After all, Chen Song was just an ordinary guy. But that didn't stop him from being curious, especially when the person in question might be a former classmate.

But Lu Yuan didn't answer directly. He just asked, "Chen Song, are you still in Hu City?"

—Yeah. With how things are now, no one dares go anywhere. My dad still needs looking after, too.

"In that case, if things are stable at home, you should head back to the countryside. Your hometown is still within a supercity's jurisdiction, right? Life might be easier there," Lu Yuan suggested out of nowhere.

In Lu Yuan's memory, there were a few spiritual herbs near Chen Song's village, mutated plants from the Global Awakening. Though it wasn't enough to turn someone into an Awakened, it was enough to strengthen the body, boost the immune system, and cure some illnesses modern medicine had long given up on.

In his previous life, Chen Song had used those very herbs to completely heal his father. All Lu Yuan was doing now was merely nudging the timeline forward. Since Chen Song hadn't told the mysterious woman the truth about the cauldron, Lu Yuan thought he ought to repay the favor.

Of course, it was still ultimately up to Chen Song's decision.

—Got it.

Chen Song didn't push further. But in his heart, the answer felt clear as day. Lu Yuan, like Zhou Yunqiong, had probably become Awakened.

No.

More than that. He might really be the Human Sovereign.

After hanging up the call, Lu Yuan's gaze darkened. His voice dropped into a whisper.

"...Didn't expect people from the Outer Cosmos to show up this soon."