Such strength and tactics had finally forced everyone to begin viewing him as a serious contender.
Outside the chief disciple peak.
A seemingly endless uproar was still sweeping back and forth.
Shen Taiyuan’s disciples had excited looks on their faces as they continuously whispered to each other, admiration rising in their eyes when they looked towards the recovering figure in the chief disciple peak.
Zhou Yuan had defeated four of the participants from Lu Hong’s faction in a row… an achievement that was simply breathtaking.
In the very beginning, there had been no lack of individuals among them who were critical of Zhou Yuan’s participation. After all, Zhou Yuan did feel somewhat lacking in experience and maturity in comparison to several of the more seasoned purple ash disciples.
But by this point, such skepticism and doubts had already completely faded away.
Yaoyao was elegantly seated on a rock by the cliffside with Tuntun lying on her lap. Her bright eyes would occasionally look towards a certain figure in the chief disciple peak, as her red lips curled just an eensy little bit.
It had already been a year since Zhou Yuan first arrived at the Cangxuan Sect.
Over this year, he had clearly grown at an astonishing rate.
The young man who had walked out from the Great Zhou Empire back then had finally begun to find the light that belonged solely to himself, and allowed it to blossom, becoming a dazzling sight that drew everyone’s eyes.
…
In contrast to the atmosphere of excitement hanging over Shen Taiyuan and Lu Song’s disciples, Lu Hong’s disciples had fallen into a stifling silence. Disciple after disciple wore ugly expressions, while also stuck in deep disbelief.
Who amongst them had ever taken Zhou Yuan seriously over the greater part of the year? And yet, it was this very person who had single handedly forced their team into such an awkward and embarrassing position.
Black, ominous storm clouds hung over Lu Hong’s elderly face, making it easy for anyone to see just how furious he was. The surrounding disciples stealthily made themselves scarce, praying hard that he would not take any notice of them.
Lu Hong took in two deep breaths, suppressing the boiling rage in his heart and trying his best to make sure he did not appear overly affected.
By now, even he had no choice but to admit that the newcomer he had always looked down on, had somehow unknowingly grown to this level...
If they waited another year, Lu Hong would really be worried about the chief disciple position.
Fortunately, the heavens were ultimately standing on his side, allowing the chief disciple selection to begin this year instead…
…
The numerous disciples, Shen Taiyuan, Lu Hong, and the other elders were not the only ones who were closely following the situation here. In fact, even sect master Qing Yang and the other five hegemons at the highest spot in the sky had already discovered the current situation.
Sect master Qing Yang sighed and said, “Zhou Yuan is truly a good sapling. He has a high chance to become a Chosen in the future.”
Every Chosen of the Cangxuan Sect was the culmination of a tremendous amount of effort and grooming, and could be said to be the future backbones of the sect. As such, sect master Qing Yang’s assessment was high praise indeed.
The other hegemons faintly nodded in agreement.
Snow Lotus Peak master Liu Lianyi cast a sideway glance at peak master Ling Jun as she said, “Looks like someone is going to become a little nervous.”
Peak master Ling Jun’s handsome face was impassive. He swept a glance at the distant chief disciple peak and calmly said, “He is indeed rather talented. Unfortunately, this year’s chief disciple seat will not be his.”
Peak master Ling Jun did not even care that Wu Hai and the other three had been defeated by Zhou Yuan, because he understood that none of these individuals were even contenders for the chief disciple position.
They were merely tagging along to make the line-up appear more impressive. The true trump card still lay with Yuan Hong.
…
Half an incense stick of time later.
Zhou Yuan stood up as his hand closed around the Heavenly Yuan Brush. His figure rose into the sky, the brush hairs tightly wrapped around the two unconscious figures.
On another misty stone platform some distance away.
An intense battle was still ongoing here.
Two figures clashed ferociously, as powerful Genesis Qi swept outwards, leaving mark after mark on the stone stage.
Bang!
The two figures retreated after yet another clash.
Han Yu wiped away the blood at the corner of her mouth as she gritted her teeth and stared at her opponent, a young man called Zhu Qing.
The two of them were roughly equal in strength. As such, no one had managed to gain the upper hand even though they had been fighting for quite some time.
Zhu Qing grinned as he gazed at Han Yu and mockingly said, “You seem to be rather desperate to defeat me. Why? Are you planning on going to help that guy?”
He could clearly sense the urgentness and anxiety in Han Yu’s attacks. It was this same anxiety that had instead allowed him to find several openings. If not for her speed, Han Yu would have lost long ago.
Han Yu’s expression sunk a little.
“Hehe, it’s already been so long. I feel that he has most likely already been dealt with.” Taunted Zhu Qing.
“How much despair do you think you’ll feel when Chu Yang and Liu Xiang return?”
Han Yu bit hard into her lips as iciness rose in her eyes. She did not bother responding as Genesis Qi surged out with intent of continuing her offensive.
She needed to defeat Zhu Qing as quickly as possible, and then proceed to support Zhou Yuan. Otherwise, they would soon be utterly defeated.
However, she suddenly heard the sound of rushing wind just as her figure was about to move.
Zhu Qing also raised his head, peering towards the distant mist as a wide grin grew on his face. “Looks like you’re finished.”
Han Yu lifted her face, turning somewhat pale as she looked towards the rippling mist.
The mist was soon torn apart as a figure slowly descended.
Next, the mocking look on Zhu Qing’s face solidified bit by bit.
In contrast, Han Yu’s mouth slowly opened wider and wider.
“Zhou… Zhou Yuan?!”
The one who had appeared was naturally Zhou Yuan. He smiled at Han Yu, before shifting his gaze towards Zhu Qing as he gave the Heavenly Yuan Brush a gentle swing. Two bodies tumbled towards the latter, ending up lying at his feet.
“Who did you say… was finished?”
Zhu Qing was dumbstruck as he stared at the two figures before him. A chill quickly rose from the bottom of his feet, surging straight towards his scalp.
Intense fear and dread rapidly surged out from the depths of his eyes.
Chapter 467 Tiger Obstructing the Path
When Chu Yang and Liu Xiang’s unconscious bodies came to a stop at Zhu Qing’s feet, his entire body began to tremble faintly, the fear in his eyes no longer concealable.
He looked towards Zhou Yuan with some difficulty, his face filled with terror and disbelief.
He would never have imagined even in his wildest dreams that the combined might of Chu Yang and Liu Xiang would ultimately end in them being beaten by Zhou Yuan...
Just how strong was he?
Zhu Qing was not the only one who was shocked. Han Yu’s pretty face was likewise overwhelmed by astonishment. She had clearly not expected that Zhou Yuan would defeat the Chu Yang duo and safely return.
Just how strong did one need to be in order to subdue the two of them alone?
Han Yu swallowed with some difficulty. At the very beginning, she had been quite hard stuck on the notion that Zhou Yuan would be a burden. Hence, the current reality made her a little panicky.
If Zhou Yuan had not swoop
ed in to save them from this crisis, the ones lying unconscious on the ground would likely be herself and Han Yan instead.
Zhu Qing felt an ice-cold sensation spread throughout his entire body. If Liu Xiang could be said to have some will to battle earlier, Zhu Qing had completely lost all of his will to fight, because from the looks of it, all four of the other participants from his team had been defeated at Zhou Yuan’s hands...
Hence, Zhu Qing’s figure suddenly shot backwards in retreat a split second later, surprisingly not even having the courage to fight, selecting to retreat instead.
“He is too strong, I cannot try to face him. Quick! Gotta go to senior brother Yuan Hong!”
Fear suged in Zhu Qing’s eyes as he pushed his speed to the limits in hope of escaping from this area.
The moment his figure moved, however, the nearby Zhou Yuan had already etherealized, transforming into a wisp of smoke as he vanished from the spot.
Boom!
A berserk Genesis Qi ripple quickly followed, spreading behind Zhu Qing as terrifying fist winds ruthlessly blasted towards him. Jade light flickered as scales gleaming with eerie light appeared on Zhou Yuan’s arm.
Surging Genesis Qi shook the air like a peal of thunder.
Zhu Qing also sensed the vicious attack. Without a moment to waste, Genesis Qi frantically whizzed out from his body, forming layer after layer of Genesis Qi defenses around him.
Boom!
However, the glowing fist instantly shattered every Genesis Qi defense, its reflection rapidly glowing in Zhu Qing’s pupils, before eventually slamming into his body.
Urgh!
It was as if a ferocious beast had rammed into Zhu Qing. Terrifying, earth-shaking power flooded out, causing him to violently vomit a mouthful of blood as his figure was sent arcing through the air.
Zhu Qing’s eyes were frozen with horror as they stared straight ahead, where Zhou Yuan’s figure was slowly appearing. That seemingly thin looking body seemed to take the form of a vicious ancient beast in Zhu Qing’s eyes.
The explosive power earlier had been enough to destroy mountains.
Only now did he understand why Wu Hai had been crushed by a single punch from Zhou Yuan...
When Zhou Yuan’s Genesis Qi and physical power was layered on top of each other, destructive power would surge with every wave of his fist.
Zhou Yuan tightly gripped the Heavenly Yuan Brush as he watched Zhu Qing being blown away. No emotion could be seen in the former’s eyes as his figure dashed forward once more, glaring sparks appearing as the snow-white brush tip swept across the ground.
The snow-white hairs slowly turned a deep mysterious black.
Bzz!
The brush tip darted forward, tearing through the air as it transformed into a shadow that thrust towards Zhu Qing.
The shadow rapidly grew in Zhu Qing’s pupils, causing the final bit of courage he had left to crumble as he anxiously shouted with a deathly pale face, “I admit defeat!”
Bzz!
The sharp brush tip stopped half an inch before Zhu Qing, the residual force cutting several shallow wounds on his face.
Zhou Yuan indifferently looked towards the dazed Zhu Qing, and slowly withdrew the Heavenly Yuan Brush. The latter was clearly no longer a concern to him.
Perhaps because of this nonchalant attitude, a wave of shame and anger surged through Zhu Qing. He immediately gritted his teeth and said in an icy voice, “Zhou Yuan, don’t be too happy. You’ll soon have a taste of everything I have experienced now!”
“Senior brother Yuan Hong will make you understand the meaning of fear!”
Zhou Yuan merely chuckled when he heard this. “I do plan on seeking his guidance.”
After speaking, he paid no further attention to Zhu Qing, and cast his gaze towards Han Yu instead.
Han Yu had yet to recover from the shock of seeing Zhou Yuan’s overwhelming attack. She had pulled all the stops earlier, only to be stuck in a deadlock with Zhu Qing. In comparison, Zhou Yuan had crushed Zhu Qing in a flash.
The gap between them was clear as day.
Zhou Yuan gazed at the absent-minded Han Yu and said, “I’m heading to the peak.”
Han Yu finally returned to her senses. Her brows soon furrowed deeply as she worriedly said, “I wonder how senior sister Lu Yan and the rest are doing.”
Although they had obtained a great victory here, she knew that decisive battle was still the one occurring at the peak. If even the combined might of Lu Yan, Zhou Tai and Zhang Yan failed to defeat Yuan Hong, Han Yu was truly unable to imagine who could possibly be capable of stopping him.
Even Zhou Yuan… should not be up to the task, right?
“We’ll know once we have a look.”
Zhou Yuan’s eyes narrowed, before his figure soared into the sky once again, dashing past layers of mist as he headed directly to the peak.
Han Yu hesitated for a moment, before swiftly following.
Since they were already at this point, she felt that she should go and take a look.
The two figures flew past stone platform after platform, gradually ascending the peak under the countless watching gazes. As they climbed, broken stone platforms began to enter their sights.
It was clear that an extremely intense battle had erupted here.
Han Yu’s face grew increasingly nervous when she saw this. Such destructive power was far beyond them.
Furthermore, the most alarming observation was that she was still unable to sense any Genesis Qi ripples as they steadily approached the peak. Did this mean that the battle was already over?
Had senior sister Lu Yan’s side won?”
Han Yu’s pretty face fluctuated indeterminately.
Swish!
The two figures ultimately pierced through the mist, landing on the mountain top of the chief disciple peak. Thick mist covered their surroundings, greatly hindering their senses.
Zhou Yuan gazed to the front, no fear visible on his face as he walked forward.
There was a vast, giant plaza on the peak that was completely silent as Zhou Yuan slowly walked within it. After some time, his footsteps suddenly came to a halt as he gazed straight ahead.
With a wave of his sleeve, Genesis QI surged out to sweep away the thick mist.
As the mist was swept away, the surroundings finally became clearer.
Next, Zhou Yuan and Han Yu saw a towering stone throne at the center of the plaza. It was the chief disciple seat.
At this current moment, a figure was reclining on the throne.
Zhou Yuan’s brows slowly began to furrow as he gazed upon the figure, while Han Yu’s face had turned deathly white.
Because the figure belonged to Yuan Hong from Lu Hong’s faction!
“Yuan Hong, where are senior sister Lu Yan and the others?” Han Yu’s voice was trembling.
On the stone throne, Yuan Hong lightly tapped the back of the throne, as he slowly raised a pair eyes that were filled with savagery and ferocity, making him look like a terrible violent beast.
He seemed to be a little surprised when he saw the Zhou Yuan duo, but soon began to laugh, revealing his eerily white teeth as if he were a wild beast.
Next, he raised a finger and pointed behind him.
If one looked over, one would see that the ground had fissured, and a good chunk of the mountain top had collapsed. Three bloody figures lay amidst the rubble, releasing weak breathing sounds.
Han Yu hands were tightly clenched over her mouth.
Yuan Hong slowly cracked his neck. He did not appear to be very interested in the two individuals before him as he waved his hand at them as if trying to chase away flies.
“Though I am rather surprised that you two were able to come here…”
“It will be best for the both of you to admit defeat and withdraw.” Yuan Hong leaned against the back of the throne, indifference on his face as he slowly closed his eyes.
Han Yu trembled as fear rose in her eyes. She looked towards Zhou Yuan, only to
find that the latter seemed to be smiling.
Zhou Yuan slowly walked forward with firm and steady steps, showing no fear at all.
He gave a small twist to the Heavenly Yuan Brush, causing a buzzing noise to emerge as he slowly raised it and pointed towards Yuan Hong.
“Senior brother Yuan Hong, won’t you come down and play with me?”
“I too want to have a seat on that throne.”
Chapter 468 The Final Yuan Hong
Outside of Saint Genesis Peak’s chief disciple peak.
Countless gazes were currently gathered on the misty mountain top. Even sect master Qing Yang and the others high up in the sky had cast their attention towards Saint Genesis Peak.
Sect master Qing Yang looked at the well-built figure seated on the stone throne as he sighed and said, “Yuan Hong is quite a capable disciple. With his strength, he will likely be a formidable contender for the chief disciple seat even in Sword Cometh Peak.”
While Zhou Yuan had successively defeated Chu Yang and the gang, an even more intense battle had erupted on the top of the mountain.
This fight was naturally observed by sect master Qing Yang and the others.
The battle had been extremely intense. Zhou Tai, Zhang Yan and Lu Yan were after all elites amongst the numerous purple sash disciples. Unfortunately, they had ultimately ended up being defeated by Yuan Hong.
Because Yuan Hong’s strength had surpassed their expectations.
The Zhou Tai trio had reached the mid eighth layer level, while Yuan Hong was at the peak of the eighth layer, with only a single step separating him from the ninth layer.
This obviously far surpassed the Zhou Tai trio.
Therefore, they had lost in the end.
Peak master Ling Jun indifferently watched this scene as he said, “Yuan Hong had already displayed his impressive talent back in Sword Cometh Peak. It is not strange for him to have such battle accomplishments.”
Peak master Lian Yi snorted as she interjected, “I’ve heard that you even lowered yourself to personally give him quite a few pointers.”
She was obviously trying to ridicule peak master Ling Jun for even personally stepping in to ensure Lu Hong’s faction would win the chief disciple seat of Saint Genesis Peak.
Dragon Prince Yuan c1-1251 Page 254
