He could feel that when Jiu Gong told them to break through the boundary first before they could negotiate with her, her challenge was directed at him.
Although he didn’t know why a heaven pride of the Xuanji Region whom he had never met before would treat him this way, he wasn’t afraid of the challenge. He believed that nobody could beat him in terms of mastery in Genesis Runes.
Although Yuan Kun looked clumsy, he was very sensitive. He also felt the same way as Zhou Yuan and so didn’t say much and simply clapped his hand on Zhou Yuan’s shoulder. “Let that woman have a taste of your strength.”
Zhou Yuan smiled in response and, in a flash, came before the golden light boundary. Behind him were the dozens of teams.
Zhou Yuan opened his hand, and strands of Genesis Qi light extended out. One end of the light was connected to the members of each team, while the other end landed in different areas of the golden light boundary.
“Follow the light and enter the boundary. After you step inside, don't act recklessly. Remember to keep the bamboo slip in your hand and listen to my command. Don’t go any further,” Zhou Yuan said solemnly once again.
The members of the dozen teams nodded, and with a slight movement, a whistle of wind sounded, and they entered through the golden light boundary one after another.
Zhou Yuan lifted his head and surveyed the golden light boundary, its golden light reflecting in his eyes. He saw that, in the boundary’s depths, a coldly arrogant yet beautiful figure was looking at him with provocation and scrutiny.
“You want to test my strength? Then, I’ll play with you.”
He smiled and no longer hesitated. He took a large step forward into the golden light, and it swallowed his figure under the gazes of Yuan Kun, Yi Qiushui and the others.
“He’s finally in?”
In the golden light boundary, Xue Jingtao’s eyes were fixed on somewhere. Jiu Gong had given him some control rights in the golden light boundary, so Zhou Yuan needed to pass Xue Jingtao if he wanted to break the formation.
Xue Jingtao's eyes glinted fiercely. “Everyone listen! Operate the golden light boundary and activate the Spirit Dispersing Light! I'm going to turn them all into stupid idiots!”
His voice passed through the boundary and instantly spread to the Zixiao Region teams defending the various nodes scattered throughout the boundary.
“Yes!”
There was an immediate response throughout the whole golden light boundary.
Om!
Dazzling light suddenly broke out from the tremendous golden light boundary, and the universe Genesis Qi turned berserk.
At the top of the ice mountain.
Jiu Gong sat cross-legged gracefully. A light screen, which had formed in front of her, was flashing with many specks of light. She was staring intently at one of them, muttering, “Yuan Kun didn’t come? He has a big temper and lots of courage, but isn’t he being overconfident?”
She put her elbows on her knees and rested her cheeks in her palms, looking very lazy.
“Could it be...Xue Jingtao finds Zhou Yuan an eyesore and wants to teach him a lesson using my golden light boundary? Never mind, I’ll just watch the good show first.
“Zhou Yuan, Zhou Yuan, if you can’t even play with Xue Jingtao, how will Su Youwei take it when she learns about it?”
Chapter 956 Jiu Gong attacks
As Zhou Yuan stepped through the golden light boundary, a ray of dazzling light flashed in front of his eyes. In his field of vision was an expanse of golden light that covered everything.
Buzz!
All of a sudden, there was a bizarre fluctuation of energy coming from the boundary. The void rippled. Gushes of golden lights descended from the sky as if these lights were made of real substance. They flooded to every corner of the boundary.
Zhou Yuan carefully studied the golden light resembling solid objects. A special power was contained within the light.
The Meridian Golden Light Boundary had begun to operate.
Once the golden light touched one’s body, it could freeze and control one’s Spirit, making it difficult for the body to move an inch.
The teams that entered through the boundary had to have run into the golden light.
Zhou Yuan took a mirror out from his sleeve. Multiple specks of light were flickering on the mirror, each one representing a team member.
The light spots had dimmed because the members had sealed their Spirits, making it impossible for the Spirit Dispersing Golden Light to harm their Spirits.
But at the same, their perception of the outside became extremely slow and weak.
Although they could seal their Spirits to avoid being attacked by the Spirit Dispersing Golden Light, as their leader, Zhou Yuan couldn’t do the same. Otherwise, everything would end.
There wasn’t a ripple of expression on Zhou Yuan’s face as he stared at the golden light descending. When he lifted his hand, multiple rays of Genesis Runes rose from his palm.
The Genesis Runes quickly formed a light barrier around his body, and when the Spirit Dispersing Golden Light descended, the multiple Genesis Runes quickly melted and dissolved the light. However, the number of Genesis Runes were also reduced. As a result, Zhou Yuan had to constantly replenish them.
Somewhere in the boundary, Xue Jingtao sneered as he watched them. “Everyone sealed their Spirit? Is this your method of breaking through? Ridiculous.”
The team members had basically become blind and deaf after sealing their Spirits, so Xue Jingtao couldn’t understand what the use of them entering the boundary was! Was it to act as cannon fodder?
Xue Jingtao's eyes flashed. “Tell people to get ready to attack. Remember to specifically target the Yushou Region people.”
His method was ruthless. Zhou Yuan was leading the attack, so if anything were to happen to the Yushou Region people while the Tianyuan Region people were left unscathed, it would inevitably raise suspicion, and the fragile cooperation would break even without Xue Jingtao doing anything.
Someone immediately responded to his order and vanished into the golden light.
Zhou Yuan breathed a sigh of relief as he surveyed the Spirit Dispersing Golden Light filling the sky. The first wave of attack had been resolved. He should make a move next.
Clasping the mirror, Zhou Yuan looked carefully at the light specks.
“Team 3, take one hundred steps to the right and attack westward with all your strength.”
“Team 8, go three hundred steps straight and attack southward.”
“Team 5, stay where you are and attack the north-eastward.”
“----”
Zhou Yuan issued command after command in an orderly manner, and the mirror relayed the orders to the ears of the many teams within the golden light barrier.
The teams were slightly hesitant, but they ultimately acted and followed Zhou Yuan’s order.
When they came to the designated place, they locked their gazes in the direction Zhou Yuan specified. However, the area was shrouded in golden light and seemed no different from other places.
“Attack,” Zhou Yuan's voice again sounded from the bamboo scrolls in their hands.
Everybody gritted their teeth and circulated their Genesis Qi. The next moment, torrents of Genesis Qi roared out, ferociously bombarding the golden light in front of them.
Boom!
Waves of Genesis Qi spread out, and the golden light rippled where it was struck. The light then retreated, gradually revealing the boundary’s original appearance.
On a mountain cliff covered with snow and ice, the Zixiao Region disciples stared at the team close by with a look of surprise. They couldn’t understand why their opponents could find out where they were.
Suspended above the Zixiao Region disciples was a mirror emitting golden light.
“Destroy them, and smash the golden mirror. It’s a boundary node,” Zhou Yuan’s voice rang out from the bamboo slips in their hands.
The team members were taken aba
ck for a moment before their faces lit up with pleased surprise. The Yushou Region teams looked especially pleased. They had attempted to break through once before on Yuan Kun’s order, but the result had been tragic. If Jiu Gong hadn’t held back her strength, they would have paid a greater price.
But even so, they failed to locate any boundary nodes.
Zhou Yuan, however, could easily find a node perfectly concealed within the boundary. In comparison, Zhou Yuan’s method of breaking the formation was superior to Yuan Kun’s.
This undoubtedly gave everyone great confidence, and they unreservedly activated all their Genesis Qi and launched a terrifying attack as they raced towards the Zixiao Region team.
The teams that entered the boundary consisted of the Tianyuan and Yushou Region’s core elites, whereas the Zixiao Region team was only led by Xue Jingtao. So when the two collided, the result was undoubtedly devastating.
Although the Zixiao Region team fought with all their strength, in the end they were struck until they vomited blood and collapsed.
Boom!
Multiple torrents of Genesis Qi roared into the suspended golden mirror.
Kacha!
The golden mirror, attacked from every side, shattered.
Zhou Yuan tilted his head, listening to the subtle shattering sounds. The corners of his mouth curved upwards in a smile.
As the node shattered, the golden light boundary was no longer perfect, and it revealed its flaws.
The initiative was shifting to his hands.
Somewhere within the boundary, Xue Jingtao’s face turned ashen because he had sensed that the node his team guarded had been destroyed.
Within the golden light boundary, the lights were shaking, which was a sign that the boundary was beginning to crumble.
“How is this possible?”
“How could he break the golden light boundary so quickly?”
Xue Jingtao couldn’t help but unleash a roar. When Yuan Kun tried to break through, he was forced to retreat in embarrassment, but why was the result different with Zhou Yuan, who was ranked lower than Yuan Kun?
His expression changed drastically, and he shouted, “Attack now!”
Golden light rippled, and many figures vanished.
Zhou Yuan's eyes flickered. As the nodes were destroyed, the operation of the golden light boundary became much clearer to him.
He tilted his head slightly, sensing the subtle fluctuation of energy within the boundary. A smirk tugged at the corners of his lips. “Fools.
“Team 5, watch out for the left and get ready to counterattack.
“Team 3, move back thirty feet.
“---”
The teams unhesitantly operated their Genesis Qi and struck in the directions he commanded.
Bang!
Genesis Qi exploded, and figures were blasted back in embarrassment. Their screams reverberated throughout the golden light boundary.
Zhou Yuan’s expression remained indifferent. Xue Jingtao was cunning to plan a sneak attack, but that couldn’t save the situation. It instead sped up the pace of Zhou Yuan discovering the other nodes.
“Continue to destroy the nodes.”
Another series of orders rang out, resulting in the destruction of more and more nodes.
Space trembled within the boundary as if it were about to shatter.
Xue Jingtao’s entire body shuddered as he watched the situation slip out of control. His scalp went numb. Zhou Yuan had destroyed such a powerful boundary in less than half an hour?
How did he do it?!
On the top of the ice mountain, Jiu Gong, who was lazily sitting cross-legged, suddenly straightened her back and stared intently at the light screen in front of her. The specks of light within it were growing dimmer.
“This guy has such a deep mastery over Genesis Runes. Xue Jingtao is so incompetent. He thought he could operate other powers in the boundary to launch an attack. He doesn’t have a brain.” Jiu Gong lightly licked her red lips with the tip of her tongue, blazing battle intent bursting forth from her beautiful eyes. “But this is pretty interesting.”
Jiu Gong folded her beautiful hands in a hand seal and slowly closed her eyes. The turmoil within the golden boundary gradually subsided.
Within the boundary, Zhou Yuan’s eyes suddenly glinted fiercely. He looked up at the depths of the boundary.
He knew that Jiu Gong had regained control of the golden light boundary.
The top heaven pride of the Xuanji Region finally couldn’t help but take action.
Chapter 957 Top Battle
Outside of the ice mountain, the dazzling golden boundary pulsed violently before it shrank back and exposed a tip of the ice mountain that was previously covered.
The two region’s teams that were waiting outside burst into cheers when they saw the boundary showing signs of collapsing.
“Is this a sign the boundary is going to break?” Yi Qiushui asked in a surprised voice.
Yuan Kun glanced at her and scrunched his brows in a frown. He said hesitantly, “I’m afraid not...”
“The golden light barrier is shrinking, but it is a rhythmic controlled shrinkage. It’s more dangerous now than it was before.”
Yuan Kun’s narrowed eyes suddenly glinted fiercely. “Jiu Gong has taken over!”
“Jiu Gong?” Yi Qiushui exclaimed. “Wasn’t she controlling the boundary before?”
“It should be Xue Jingtao who was controlling the boundary before. Jiu Gong is extremely arrogant, so she must have thought Zhou Yuan couldn’t break through the golden light barrier and didn’t intend to do anything at the start.
“But Zhou Yuan's ability clearly exceeded her expectations...he must have caused the signs of disorder in the golden light barrier we felt before. If this had continued, the golden light boundary would have undoubtedly been destroyed.
“So Jiu Gong couldn’t sit still and do nothing anymore. She kicked away Xu Jingtao, and she is now ready to fight Zhou Yuan herself.”
Yuan Kun stroked his chin that was barely visible and said, “Although that woman is arrogant, she is indeed capable and decisive. As soon as she took over, she cut off the nodes that Zhou Yuan had destroyed. This is similar to cutting off one’s tail to survive, and it’s the reason why the golden light barrier shrank.”
Although Yuan Kun wasn’t skilled in Genesis Runes, he was still ranked eighth on the Divine Dwelling List and had extraordinary perception. Therefore, he quickly identified the changes that were happening within the boundary.
“I see...” Yi Qiushui nodded in understanding. “But now that Zhou Yuan has destroyed several boundary nodes, can she still reverse the situation by taking over?”
Yuan Kun sighed. “The Meridian Golden Light Boundary is divided into two layers, the inside and the outside. What Xue Jingtao controlled was only the outer layer, but Jiu Gong has now abandoned the outer layer and shrunk the inner layer. In terms of danger, it is now trickier than before.”
The golden light boundary was gradually shrinking and stabilizing as it grew more dazzling. Looking at it, Yuan Kun grew solemn.
“It’s going to become troublesome.”
....
Within the golden light boundary.
Zhou Yuan similarly felt the golden light barrier shrink. He narrowed his eyes and let out a sigh. “What a tricky opponent.”
His opponent’s decisive abandonment of the outer layer made it impossible for him to continue to attack.
The nodes that he had destroyed were just like dead tissue on a person’s body, and now that Jiu Gong had cleanly severed dead tissue, it couldn’t further infect the body.
Moreover, as the area shrank, the boundary’s defenses grew stronger, and it wouldn’t be as easy to destroy the remaining nodes. After all, Jiu Gong wasn’t the same as Xue Jingtao, and her control of the boundary could be described as perfect.
Regardless of the difficulty, there was no way that Zhou Yuan would give up.
Zhou Yuan closed his eyes and
expanded his Spirit perception to survey the boundary’s many flowing Genesis Runes. He then sent out a series of orders.
“Team 4, step forward two hundred feet and then move three hundred feet to the right and attack the northwest area.
“Team 8, move one hundred feet to the left and attack the southern area.
“Team 3...
“......”
Under Zhou Yuan's command, the teams swiftly moved to the positions Zhou Yuan directed them to, and they launched an attack.
At the same time, on the top of the mountain, Jiu Gong’s eyes were fixed on the light screen in front of her. Her mouth suddenly opened slightly, and a clear voice came out, “The ninth node, strengthen the defense.
“The thirteenth node, manipulate the golden light to attack the team in the southwest.
“The fifteenth node, attack northward.
“......”
Under her command, the boundary nodes immediately started to operate, either attacking, defending, or hiding…
Zhou Yuan wanted to attack and destroy the nodes, but Jiu Gong’s quick defense created an illusion that prevented Zhou Yuan from determining the nodes’ locations.
Although the two sides hadn’t met, they were already fiercely competing.
Boom!
Frantic Genesis Qi constantly erupted within the boundary.
Zhou Yuan was aware of Jiu Gong’s obstruction because he had only managed to find two real nodes and destroy them during this period of time, even if he had identified ten locations.
Therefore, eight locations were illusions Jiu Gong had sent out to mislead Zhou Yuan.
And in those locations, Jiu Gong had gathered mighty golden light to destroy Zhou Yuan’s teams. If Zhou Yuan hadn’t reacted in time and retreated, his teams would have suffered severe injuries.
The speed at which his teams advanced and destroyed nodes was frustratingly slower than before.
Dragon Prince Yuan c1-1251 Page 499
