Besides them, some of the disciples from the other two factions were also present, clearly waiting to enjoy the show.
Of course, what they wanted to see was likely Zhou Yuan suffering. After all, he had been in the limelight too much recently, and was also the champion of the peak selection ceremony. However, he was also a new inner mountain disciple without enough experience. Thus, there were naturally people who were happy to see someone put him in his place.
On one side of the stone stage, a smiling Cao Shi was surrounded by several disciples like a moon amongst the stars. He was pretty relaxed from the looks of it and clearly did not treat today’s match seriously at all.
Swish!
A Genesis Qi cloud flew over from far away, eventually landing on the opposite end of the stone stage. It was Zhou Yuan with Yaoyao at his side, graceful yet cold like an exiled goddess from the heavens, her breathtaking beauty drawing numerous gazes towards her.
“Teacher Shen.” Zhou Yuan’s gaze scanned his surroundings, sensing the amusement in many gazes. He ignored all of them as he looked towards Shen Taiyuan and cupped his fists together.
Shen Taiyuan nodded in response, a rather complicated look on his face. He truly did have high hopes for Zhou Yuan’s potential, which was why he did not wish to see him clashing with Cao Shi at such a time.
However, he also understood that it was because he regarded Zhou Yuan with too much importance that the senior disciples were now unhappy, leading them to make things difficult for Zhou Yuan. But why couldn’t these fools just stop for a moment and question themselves instead. If they had shown a little more worth, wouldn’t he have no need to place all his bets on a single person?
If Zhou Yuan lost today’s duel, he would surely have to give in for a period of time and keep a low profile, losing all hopes of obtaining the purple Genesis cave dwelling.
Without such cultivation resources, it would undoubtedly become even more difficult for him to catch up with the veteran purple sash disciples.
With such feelings churning in his heart, Shen Taiyuan ultimately sighed inside, nodding to Zhou Yuan before turning towards Cao Shi. “This is a match between our own people, make sure you understand when to stop.”
Cao Shi laughed a relaxed manner and replied, “Don’t worry teacher Shen, I’m a senior after all and will show mercy.”
The moment he finished, his figure moved, landing at the center of the stone stage as he cast playful gaze towards Zhou Yuan and said, “Junior brother Zhou Yuan, you can avoid any suffering if you admit defeat now. It’s never a pretty sight when it comes to punches and kick after all.
Zhou Yuan ignored the former, also landing in the center of the stage. He stood opposite Cao Shi, his face akin to a still ancient well.
When their gazes met, iciness flashed within their eyes.
Below Shen Taiyuan, the purple sash disciples were also watching.
Zhang Yan wore a slight smile on his face as he said towards Zhou Tai, “Hehe, senior brother Zhou Tai, this junior brother of ours does have potential, but he has a bit of a rebellious streak and doesn’t follow the rules. I hope that he will be able to better behave after today, and at the very least understand that he should be more respectful towards us senior brothers.”
Zhou Tai frowned upon hearing this. He was a gentle and magnanimous person, and although his talent was not exceptional, he did possess a substantial amount of influence amongst the disciples.
He could sense the happiness in Shen Taiyuan due to Zhou Yuan’s arrival, happiness that in turn made Zhou Tai blame himself and feel somewhat ashamed. Teacher Shen would not feel this way if he had been more capable as the first disciple.
Thus, he showed good will towards Zhou Yuan, because he genuinely hoped that someone amazing would arise from their group.
However, this mindset was clearly not shared by all the other disciples. Zhang Yan for instance disliked how much attention teacher Shen was showing Zhou Yuan. Although Cao Shi appeared to be the mastermind, Zhang Yan was likely sparing no effort to support the former.
Zhou Tai also knew that junior brother Zhang Yan did not truly acknowledge him as the first disciple because the latter’s talent was greater than his own. Although Zhang Yan had joined later, he was fast catching up with his senior brother. Hence, he was usually not too respectful either when they met.
“Junior brother Zhang Yan, junior brother Zhou Yuan has great potential, and it can be said to be our fortune that he has come to Saint Genesis Peak and teacher Shen’s faction. The cultivation resources we give him now will surely be returned many fold in the future.” Said Zhou Tai.
Zhang Yan maintained his smiling appearance, though a sneer flashed in his eyes. “Senior brother Zhou Tai’s words may be slightly exaggerated. I do not deny that he does have potential, but I’m afraid that he is not qualified to be considered our fortune.”
“So what if he’s the champion of the peak selection ceremony, would it cement his gradual ascent to one of the ten great Chosens? It’s not like we haven’t seen any champions of the peak selection ceremony before, and quite a few of them only end up as purple sash disciples after entering the inner mountains, making them no different from any of us.”
Zhou Tai frowned and said, “Teacher Shen naturally has his reasons for placing such high hopes in Zhou Yuan.”
“Then we’ll wait and see.” Zhang Yan did not comment, his eyes narrowing slightly as he gazed at Zhou Yuan’s figure on the stone stage and said in a neither hurried no slow manner, “I hope that you can still have such a mindset after this match.”
“No matter how much potential he has, it is irrelevant till the day he turns that potential into strength. As for now… I feel that it would be best for him to behave a little better. A little suffering may not always be a bad thing for youngsters.”
While they were conversing, Shen Taiyuan’s gaze swept across the stone stage as he said in a solemn voice, “Begin.”
Rumble!
The instant the word left his mouth, an astonishing wave of Genesis Qi abruptly exploded from Cao Shi’s body, like pillar of smoke as it charged into the clouds.
Cao Shi’s Genesis Qi was akin to silver snow and gave off an extremely sharp aura. As it surged past, tears were left in the air.
Genesis Qi pressure spread from his body, like an enormous mountain crushing Zhou Yuan from above.
The expressions of numerous disciples in the vicinity turned a little graver when they felt this pressure. The fact that Cao Shi had been able to stably occupy the gold sash third seat previously was proof of his ability. Such abundant and concentrated Genesis Qi was a force to be reckoned with even amongst the fifth layer Alpha-Origin.
Zhou Yuan’s eyes widened a little. The Genesis Qi pressure from Cao Shi was not just a little stronger than Lu Feng.
Cao Shi laughed playfully when he saw Zhou Yuan’s expression. “Junior brother Zhou Yuan, you were the one who suggested this match a few days ago, can it be that you no longer have the courage you had back then?”
Zhou Yuan’s expression was indifferent as gold Genesis Qi dashed out from the top of his head, hovering in the air like a giant halo. The faint silhouette of a titanic python emerged from within and hissed.
He stared at Cao Shi as a sharp and serious look gradually flooded his eyes. A split second later, Zhou Yuan’s aura changed, like a blade that had been unsheathed, no longer hiding its sharp, cold edge.
“Come, show me what’s so amazing about our senior gold sash disciples?!”
The instant his words faded, hsi figure had already shot forward, surging Genesis Qi whizzing in his wake.
Every gaze in the vicinity of the stone stage was attentively watching.
They too wanted to know whether the champion of the peak selection ceremony, Zhou Yuan, had the qualifications to be regarded so highly by teacher Shen.
Chapter 298 Sumptuous Feast
Rumble!
Golden Genesis Qi swept outwards as a hundred feet tall torrent
of Genesis Qi roared, seemingly transforming into a furious python that ferociously pounced at Cao Shi.
However, Cao Shi merely sneered as he slammed his foot into the ground.
Silver snow like Genesis Qi also whizzed forth along with an indescribable sharpness and iciness as it met the golden Genesis Qi head-on.
The two torrents of Genesis Qi collided, causing a shockwave of destruction to unfurl. Gashes were torn open on the ground while also being bombarded full of holes.
The silver snow like Genesis Qi was clearly the greater force of the two. After all, Cao Shi was at the fifth layer Alpha-Origin, and the quantity and concentration of his Genesis Qi were both greater than Zhou Yuan’s
However, Zhou Yuan’s Genesis Qi was of a high grade and extremely troublesome to deal with. This was why the silver snow like Genesis Qi ended up taking quite some time to completely obliterate the golden Genesis Qi.
The instant the golden Genesis Qi was destroyed, a phantom like figure appeared behind Cao Shi as the shadow of a brush rapidly grew, its snow-white hairs instantly turning into thousands of icy needles that shot towards Cao Shi’s fatal spots.
“Humph, I’ve already studied all of your tactics!”
Cao Shi snorted as needles that flickered with cold light shot towards him from behind. With a grasp of his hand, a metal baton that was forged from silver appeared in his hand. Numerous runes had been carved into its body, making it shine icily when Genesis Qi was poured in.
The silver baton made a sweeping motion behind him, Genesis Qi whizzing along with it as it tore through the air, blowing away every single one of the needles.
Iciness flashed in Cao Shi’s eyes. He understood the principle of pushing the advantage, and abruptly shot forth, Genesis Qi pouring into the metal baton as it transformed into countless baton shadows that seemed to fill the sky as they ruthlessly swung at Zhou Yuan.
Every baton shadow was terrifyingly violent, and even a fourth layer Alpha-Origin practitioner would only be able to retreat.
The Heavenly Yuan Brush in Zhou Yuan’s hand also began to dance as countless brush shadows emerged one after another. Golden Genesis Qi swirled around each shadow, the brush tips pulsing with lethal sharpness as they clashed with the numerous baton shadows.
Clang! Clang!
Sparks continued to fly with each loud clang along with a mini explosion of berserk Genesis Qi.
In the vicinity of the stone stage, numerous gazes watched the two figures that rapidly criss-crossed.
“Junior brother Zhou Yuan’s is pretty feisty to match blow for blow.” Zhang Yan chuckled, though a faint sliver of mockery could be heard in his voice.
Anyone could tell that Cao Shi had the advantage in Genesis Qi, making it such that the advantage would clearly lean in his favor in a direct clash. Everyone could see that all of Zhou Yuan’s counter attacks were being smashed apart by the baton shadows.
Zhou Tai frowned, but did not say anything though his lips began to purse tightly.
Clang!
Powerful winds swept outwards as the final baton shadow and brush shadow collided. The ground cracked as Zhou Yuan’s figure jerked back slightly, before shooting back in retreat.
Cao Shi sneered, not giving Zhou Yuan any time to catch his breath as the former ferociously pounced forward once again. Silver baton shadows that contained the power to split mountains viciously smashed towards Zhou Yuan.
Zhou Yuan’s figure suddenly etherealized when he saw this, rapidly drifting back like the mist as he avoided Cao Shi’s chase.
Cao Shi tried to follow several times, but was unable to even touch a corner of Zhou Yuan’s clothes.
Zhou Yuan’s Ethereal Form technique was clearly even more proficient than before.
“Scurrying away like a rat again?” Mocked Cao Shi. Soon after, an icy light flashed in his eyes as he said, “Don’t think that you can escape just because you practice the Ethereal From technique. You underestimate the inner mountain gold sash disciples!”
“Little Heaven Genesis technique, Spatial Teleportation!”
Silver light suddenly stretched out from under his feet as he stepped onto it.
Swish!
The instant Cao Shi’s foot landed, his body seemed to ignore the laws of space, appearing directly behind Zhou Yuan as the metal baton in his hand viciously swung towards along with a hundred foot tall pillar of Genesis Qi.
“Little Heaven Genesis technique, Mounter Opening Baton!”
With a furious shout, the metal baton swept downwards in an unstoppable manner. The expressions of several gold sash disciples turned grave, not daring to underestimate this attack.
Zhou Yuan’s eyes widened a little as the alarming force rapidly descended from above. Cao Shi’s strength had somewhat exceeded the former’s expectations.
Zhou Yuan’s eyes narrowed as a cold and serious look exploded within them. His hands tightened around the Heavenly Yuan Brush as the Magical Python Scales emerged on his skin, rapidly raising his strength.
“Heavenly Yuan Brush, Million Whale Rune!”
He yelled in his heart as he ferociously swung the Heavenly Yuan Brush. Golden Genesis Qi exploded into a burst of dazzling light, as the faint cry of a whale echoed.
The air was blasted apart, the ground instantly crumbling, unable to bear such power.
The power of this strike also caused the expressions of several disciples to change slightly.
Clang!
Baton and brush smashed into each other again as a thunderous clang was heard.
Boom!
A shockwave of berserk Genesis Qi unfurled, destabilizing numerous disciples nearby. Shen Taiyuan waved his sleeve, completely quelling the shockwaves that had left that confines of the stone stage.
Only then did the numerous disciples hastily look towards the stage.
A crack had appeared at the center of the giant stone stage, as if splitting it into two. On both sides of the crack, Zhou Yuan and Cao Shi’s figures were being flung backwards.
The Heavenly Yuan Brush’s tip left a trail of sparks on the ground, before Zhou Yuan stabilized his figure with a stomp, his expression indifferent as he looked to his front where Cao Shi was staring back with a somewhat stormy face.
The counter attack Zhou Yuan had suddenly unleashed earlier had been surprisingly ferocious, managing to block what Cao Shi had thought to be a sure-kill blow.
“No wonder you’re so confident. You do have some ability.” Cao Shi sneered.
Zhou Yuan’s expression remained unchanged, merely staring at Cao Shi as he slowly said, “The limits of your strength doesn’t seem to go too deep either.”
Cao Shi’s eyes hardened as a smile of contempt rose from the corners of his mouth. “You seem to be saying that you were probing me earlier?”
These words immediately caused strange looks to rise on the face of the numerous disciples around the stone stage. They merely took it as Zhou Yuan being reluctant to admit the truth, because Cao Shi had clearly taken the advantage in their previous clash.
However, Zhou Yuan paid no attention to these gazes. He slowly released his grip on the Heavenly Yuan Brush, an uncaring expression on his face as he said, “Since this is all you amount to, it will be enough.”
Cao Shi disdainfully said, “Stop acting. If you still have any rationality, you should admit defeat as soon as possible. I cannot guarantee your safety if we continue.”
His words did not draw any answer from Zhou Yuan. The latter was currently slowly placing his hands together as violent undulations suddenly pulsed from the Genesis Qi in his body.
Rumble!
Vigorous Genesis Qi dashed into the sky from the top of his head, the roars of beasts echoing as a faint aura of savagery and violence filled the area.
Four Genesis Qi pillars revolved above Zhou Yuan’s head, each one roughly a hundred feet tall. The silhouettes of beasts took shape within them, giving off an aura of wildness and ferocity.
“The Nine Dragons Canon?”
>
A sneer rose from the corners of Cao Shi’s mouth when he saw this. He had already investigated Zhou Yuan’s techniques, and naturally knew that this was the technique he had used to defeat Lu Feng.
“Do you think that I’m Lu Feng? You plan on beating me with your four dragon level Nine Dragons Canon?” Cao Shi let out an icy laugh.
Zhou Yuan’s eyes narrowed slightly, before he suddenly took in a deep breath as a ruthless look flitted across his eyes.
The flickering Genesis Qi stars in his Qi Dwelling suddenly began to tremble violently as all the Genesis Qi stored within them was being fully squeezed out by Zhou Yuan at this moment.
Rumble!
Boundless Genesis Qi flowed through the channels inside Zhou Yuan’s body like a flood.
It was at this instant that another giant Genesis Qi pillar rose into the sky from the top of Zhou Yuan’s head, quickly splitting into four as an sky-shaking roar thundered.
“Nine Dragons Canon… eight dragons!”
Roar!
Four even larger Genesis Qi pillars spun as they roared. A savage aura saturated the area, causing the sky to take on a dim red hue.
The expressions of the numerous disciples in the vicinity of the stone stage abruptly changed at this moment.
Shock filled their eyes as they gazed at the right beast shaped Genesis Qi hovering above Zhou Yuan. Alarm flashed across their faces, clearly having sensed the power of these eight Genesis Qi pillars.
The mocking smile on Cao Shi’s face slowly turned rigid, disbelief surging out in his eyes as he said in a shrill voice, “Eight dragons?! Your Nine Dragons Canon has reached the eight dragons level?!”
He was pretty much overwhelmed by astonishment. One must know that Zhou Yuan’s Nine Dragons Canon had only just reached the four dragons level in his battle against Lu Feng half a month ago. How had it suddenly shot to eight?!
Eight dragons was already considered the advanced stage, wielding power that went far beyond the four dragons level!
One must know that even amongst the inner mountain disciples, only a rare handful had managed to reach the eight dragons level!
Dragon Prince Yuan c1-1251 Page 163
