Chapter 240. The Sages’ Contingency, Decision, Taking the Initiative

Sure enough, when Lu Yuan stepped outside, Jiang Ningxian was already in the courtyard. The two of them had become really familiar with each other to the extent that there was no need to arrange any meetings in advance.

Lu Yuan was eager to know whether there was a way to stop those Immortals from the Outer Cosmos, but rather than asking outright, he kept his composure and gestured for her to sit first.

“Well?” he asked.

The more dire the circumstances, the more important it was to stay calm. Panicking wouldn’t change a thing, after all.

“Well, there’s good news,” Jiang Ningxian said with a nod. “The key to stopping the Ancestral Planets of those Immortals from influencing Earth lay in the Separation of Heaven and Earth. This world still doesn’t have any powerhouses strong enough to oppose them.

“The only option is to rely on the contingencies that the sages of ancient times had left behind. Otherwise, the Immortals will eventually carve open a pathway that would allow them to descend in full.”

Her clan’s knowledge and the historical records found in ancient texts allowed them to reach this conclusion. Truth be told, the Jiang Clan didn’t want this to happen, either. A full-on descent would plunge the planet into chaos, and there was no telling how many lives would be affected by the resulting carnage.

The goals of those clans from the Outer Cosmos were clear to them. The problem was that the Jiang Clan had received the news a bit too late. Regardless, this was a joint effort by the clans from the Outer Cosmos, and a few of the top ten clans were even involved.

Even if the Jiang Clan could do something about it, they remained between a rock and a hard place. Intervening at this point in time was extremely difficult for them.

So in the end, we have to rely on ourselves, Lu Yuan thought. Then, he said, “The Separation of Heaven and Earth has been weakening, and they must be confident of their success. How exactly can we make use of the Separation of Heaven and Earth to stop their descent?”

Long ago, humanity’s sages of antiquity had sealed the planet with their powerful divine arts. While the seal had deprived Earth of the ability to nurture the Awakened, it also protected every living creature living on it.

However, the Global Awakening couldn’t have been prevented, as the ruthless passage of time meant it would inevitably happen. Unfortunately, the passage of time had been gnawing away at the Separation of Heaven and Earth, so how could it be used against those clans from the Outer Cosmos?

“The sages of antiquity have left a few contingencies in place,” said Jiang Ningxian with a faint smile. “Even after all this time, they can still be activated. They won’t be as powerful as back then, but they will still work.”

“There’s a moon above this planet, and that moon is one of their contingencies. It can briefly manifest the power of the Separation of Heaven and Earth, providing one more layer of protection. Think of it as a kind of array.

“Activating it isn’t particularly difficult. You need the Nine Tripod Cauldrons. The Nine Tripod Cauldrons are the anchors of this world’s Providence; they’re divine weapons in the truest sense of the word. You can use them to reignite the power of the Separation of Heaven and Earth.”

Jiang Ningxian’s explanation left no room for ambiguity. If they wanted to prevent those Immortals from descending, this was the only way. They had to make use of the contingencies the sages of antiquity had left behind, and there was no other way around it.

The Nine Cauldrons can be used to reignite the power of the Separation of Heaven and Earth? Lu Yuan thought about it and noticed a crucial detail. “Doesn’t that mean someone needs to go to the moon?”

Based on her words, the moon was itself a contingency plan the ancient sages had put in place to protect this world, and it seemed to be a last resort.

“Correct.” Jiang Ningxian nodded. “You only have the Yongzhou Cauldron, but it should be enough.”

The beings who had built the Separation of Heaven and Earth were the sages led by Emperor Zhuanxu, one of the Five Emperors. Before beings of their caliber, the so-called Immortals were nothing. Once activated, the contingency plan could deal a devastating blow to those clans from the Outer Cosmos.

Of course, it was a contingency plan, so it would become useless after three uses.

Jiang Ningxian also revealed that by offering blood to commune with the Yongzhou Cauldron, the contingency plan could be activated without leaving Earth, but it wouldn’t be that strong.

In a nutshell, Jiang Ningxian wanted Lu Yuan to begin his preparations to activate the contingency plan if he wanted to stop those Immortals. The longer he waited, the more unpredictable the variables would become.

As for going to the moon, it could be done later. After all, those beings from the Outer Cosmos were likely aware of that contingency plan as well. In other words, they would never allow him to reach the moon so easily.

“We can only use it thrice, and they’re watching our every move. It seems like a waste to just use it for defense,” Lu Yuan said, smiling as his gaze glimmered. “If we’re going to attack them anyway, how about we make them hurt?”

Lu Yuan was very familiar with the beings from the Outer Cosmos. Every one of them looked down on Earth, and they considered themselves figures from superior civilizations.

They respected strength, not goodwill, and this was evidenced by all the blood that was spilled to protect Huaxia throughout history.

Facing this crisis with a mindset of simply defending Earth was never going to be enough to convince them of Earth’s formidable strength. Lu Yuan was sure that the sages of antiquity were aware of that as well. Focusing on defense was good, but becoming stronger and fighting back was better. It was the right path to take!

“So… you’re saying that you want to go on the offensive?” Jiang Ningxian asked. She was caught off guard, but her surprise faded quickly.

Lu Yuan’s decision was truly Lu Yuan-esque. Hiding and protecting himself by playing it safe had never been his style. Just like the time he fought three Sages head-on instead of running away.

Still, it remained an extremely dangerous idea.

“I know what you’re worried about,” Lu Yuan said, “But some things just have to be done.”

There were words he left unsaid. In the future, he’d leave this world behind, but before that day, he’d definitely do whatever he could for this world.

“I understand.” Jiang Ningxian drew a deep breath. “When the time comes, I’ll fight alongside you.”

She knew that once Lu Yuan had made a decision, nothing could change his mind. As his collaborator and friend, she would lend him a hand. Moreover, they were collaborators and friends.

The Jiang Clan also couldn’t stay in the shadows forever.

“Thank you,” replied Lu Yuan, accepting her offer. He knew this wasn’t something he could accomplish alone. Of course, there was no rush. According to Jiang Ningxian, the Immortals’ efforts had yet to reach a critical juncture, and it was better to wait for another half a month.

At that point, they could probably injure those Immortals, as the ones at the forefront would certainly be the most vulnerable.

The two discussed the finer details of their plan before deciding to go their separate ways.

Jiang Ningxian suddenly turned back and asked, “Lu Yuan, are you trying to make a breakthrough into the Sage Realm?”

“That’s right.” He nodded. “But I can’t seem to take that last step.”

“Tsk, tsk.” Jiang Ningxian clicked her tongue, shaking her head. “You’ve barely been in the Venerable King Realm, and you’re already pushing for the Sage Realm. If those so-called Holy Sons and Saintesses outside could see you, they’d die of jealousy. Across the universe, I think only a few can match your pace of evolution.”

Jiang Ningxian then sighed. “Well, I do have some experience that I can pass on to you.”

“Experience?” Lu Yuan caught the keyword and asked, “You’re a Sage?”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep