All five closed their eyes when a branch touched their skin.
Ten breaths later.
Their eyes snapped open, their expressions changing dramatically.
“Supreme sovereign Wan Zu is ruthless!” Bian Chang hissed.
"It turns out they want to target the Tianyuan Utopia.” Sect master Xuan Kun’s face also paled.
Bai Ye nodded but then immediately looked at the Heavenly Fire Tree King with a suspicious stare. "Are those memory images really true? Could this thing be deliberately misleading us?”
The Heaven Fire Tree King shrank back when it felt Bai Ye’s gaze.
Zhou Yuan shook his head, saying, "I would rather believe it than not believe it. If something really happens, it will be too late to regret it then."
Bai Ye shot a glance at Zhou Yuan. If it were before, he wouldn’t care what Zhou Yuan said. But Zhou Yuan was now supreme sovereign Cang Yuan’s disciple. He couldn’t treat Zhou Yuan disrespectfully, so he didn't say anything in the end.
After taking a deep breath, Chi Jing said, "This is a Genesis-drawing formation created by three mystical creatures. After the formation’s refinement, the universe Genesis Qi flowing into Tianyuan Utopia would become much purer. This is the reason why the Tianyuan Utopia could become a blessed land for cultivation.”
"I have always wondered why the Tianyuan Utopia is full of life force. The Genesis Qi within the Tianyuan Utopia is not only good for cultivation, but it can also increase the speed of recovery,” sect master Xuan Kun exclaimed.
Bian Chang said, “It’s useless to just talk about it. We must hurry and find the other two mystical creatures and protect them. Otherwise, it will be a disaster for the Tianyuan Region if they fall into the enemy’s hands.”
If the Tianyuan Utopia were destroyed, the Tianyuan Region would completely lose its prestige and the people’s heart.
Chi Jing said thoughtfully, “From the Heavenly Fire Tree King’s memory, the two mystical creatures should have the water attribute and the lightning attribute, respectively. There are quite a few special places on the borders of the Tianyuan Region with these two attributes.”
When she lifted her hand, she formed a huge map in front of her with Genesis Qi. The map glowed with many light specks of varying sizes. These were places that met the requirements of possessing water or lightning attributes.
Mu Ni studied the map, and with a flick of her finger, some light specks quickly disappeared. "Since it’s two mystical creatures comparable to the Heavenly Fire Tree King, their locations should be as impressive as the Heavenly Fire Ancient Forest. These places do not match this requirement.”
Sect master Xuan Kun, Bai Ye, and Bian Chang also flicked their fingers and eliminated some unlikely places.
Very quickly, only a few spots were left on the map.
In the end, the five grand elders all cast their eyes on the two remaining spots. The two spots, one south and one north, formed a triangle with the Heavenly Fire Ancient Forest and covered the entire area of the Tianyuan Region.
“Wind Rain Lake.”
“Bottomless Golden Lightning Abyss.”
The two places were the result deduced after the five grand elders analyzed various locations and their attributes, sizes and relations to the Heavenly Fire Ancient Forest’s location.
The other two mystical creatures were located in those two places.
“Let’s not waste time. Clan leader Bian Chang and I will head to Wind Rain Lake. Sect master Xuan Kun and clan leader Bai Ye will go to Endless Golden Lighting Abyss. And grand elder Mu Ni, please guard the Heavenly Fire Ancient Forest," Chi Jing said without wavering.
Everybody nodded.
Chi Jing glanced at Zhou Yuan, nodded slightly at him, then immediately disappeared into the air.
The other three Law Domain experts did the same.
Gazing in the direction they left, Zhou Yuan let out a deep sigh, hoping they wouldn’t be too late.
On the northern border of the Tianyuan Region.
An incomparably huge lake stood at the border. Its surface resembled a mirror, and the light reflected from it was almost blinding. Even Heavenly Sun experts wouldn’t dare look at it directly. Moreover, heavy rains and hurricane winds often hit the area.
It was Wind Rain Lake.
Space rippled as Chi Jing and clan leader Bian Chang appeared.
“There doesn’t seem to be much movement here,” Clan leader Bian Chang said with a sigh of relief as he scanned the surroundings.
Chi Jing nodded and was about to speak when she caught a figure by the lake in the distance. She narrowed her eyes, watching the Genesis Qi roam around the figure. It was a Heavenly Sun expert not from the Tianyuan Region.
Bian Chang's eyes were icy cold. Whether it was intentional or unintentional, since that person appeared here, they should kill him.
However, just as he was about to eliminate the little ant with one thought, the figure raised his head and smiled in their direction. He then bowed slightly to the space beside him.
“Respectfully welcome the decree.”
As the void slowly tore apart, Chi Jing’s and Bian Chang’s pupils shrank. A golden scroll emitting infinite power slowly floated out.
The power from the golden scroll made Chi Jing clench her teeth, and a voice filled with hate rang out.
“Supreme sovereign Wan Zu!”
At the same time, on the southern border of the Tianyuan Region.
Above a bottomless abyss filled with golden lightning, sect master Xuan Kun and clan leader Bai Ye similarly saw an ant-like Heavenly Sun expert. The expert bowed with a smile.
“Respectfully welcome the decree.”
Space shattered shattered, and a golden scroll slowly floated out.
Chapter 1035 Twin Towers
Wind Rain Lake.
When the golden scroll broke through the air, both Chi Jing’s and Bian Chang’s faces darkened. It was obvious that supreme sovereign Wan Zu was behind everything, and his purpose was very clear—to destroy the Tianyuan Utopia.
“A great supreme sovereign has committed such shameful behavior!” Chi Jing’s voice was icy cold. According to the rules, supreme sovereign Wan Zu shouldn’t be involved in the war, yet he shamelessly controlled the Great Five Alliance and used such despicable means against the Tianyuan Region, such as the Saint fire that old demon Long Gu possessed, the attack on the Tianyuan Utopia and the golden decree.
Besides not taking action himself, supreme sovereign Wan Zu had done everything he could.
“Hmph!” Chi Jing snorted coldly. A little azure light gathered at her fingertips and finally formed an azure orb wrapped in azure wind.
“Divine God Orb!”
With the flick of her fingers, the Wind God Orb transformed into an azure light beam and streaked across the sky. Its momentum wasn’t particularly earth-shaking, but where it passed, gusts of wind and pouring rain were dispersed in an instant. It even left eerie dark traces in the void.
The beam of azure light pointed to the golden decree.
As it descended, the golden decree swayed and began to burn with a sacred flame.
It was a Saint fire!
The Saint fire rose, forming a gigantic flaming hand. The hand lightly patted the Wind God Orb.
Bang!
The two collided and seemed to have formed a black hole in space; the surrounding universe Genesis Qi was abruptly turned to nothing as if in a vacuum.
There was a deathly atmosphere.
The azure light around the Wind God Orb dimmed, and the orb shot back into Chi Jing’s body with a flash.
Chi Jing trembled as blood trickled down the corner of her lips.
She had been wounded in the head-to-head collision with the golden decree. After all, she underestimated the power contained within the golden decree.
After striking Chi Jing’s Wind God Orb, the golden decree slowly rose and unfolded above Wind Rain Lake.
Om!
The next moment,
the fire that filled the sky descended upon the world, transforming into a giant hand of Saint fire. The hand grabbed at the Wind Rain Lake, and everything it touched was set to flame, including the universe Genesis Qi.
The berserk storm around the Wind Rain Lake rapidly intensified, and a terrified aura faintly rose from the water’s depths. It was likely coming from the mystical creature hidden within it.
Chi Jing and Bian Chang paled at the scene. Even they felt powerless facing a supreme sovereign’s means. The Saint fire was too powerful. Even if Chi Jing possessed a Law Domain treasure, it was still too difficult for her to withstand such an attack.
Chi Jing bit her lips. The blood on the corners of her lips looked particularly striking. She found that she could only helplessly watch the opponent capture the mystical creature in the Wind Rain Lake’s depths.
Chi Jing’s pretty face turned ashen. She slowly closed her eyes in despair, unable to bear to watch anymore.
Bian Chang also sighed.
The Saint fire hand slowly descended.
At that moment, however, waves suddenly rolled up into a tremendous vortex on the lake’s surface, and an equally large water hand stretched out from within. The two giant hands collided in the air, turning the world upside down.
This sudden change shocked both Chi Jing and Bian Chang because they noticed the Saint fire hand was blocked!
“What kind of power is that?!” Bian Chang exclaimed.
The giant hand formed from lake water can withstand the power of a Saint expert!
Chi Jing stared intently at the giant lake-water hand, her eyes flickering. “No, that’s not a giant hand formed from lake water. It’s also a hand of Saint fire!”
In the depths of the lake water hand, a sacred Saint fire was clearly blazing.
Moreover, Chi Jing found the power very familiar.
“It’s my master’s power!”
Chi Jing’s eyes widened with surprise.
Bian Chang also exclaimed, “Supreme sovereign Cang Yuan is back?!”
Chi Jing shook her head. “My master isn't back. It’s just that he predicted something would happen one day and left behind some means!:
The golden decree fluttered in the void, and as the Saint fire continued to blaze, a pair of indifferent eyes slowly emerged. The decree emitted a low voice. “Cang Yuan.”
Hua!
The Wind Rain Lake’s surface undulated, and turbulent waves lifted up as something slowly rose from its depths.
Chi Jing and Bian Chang stared puzzledly at the lake.
The colossal object finally broke the surface. It turned out to be a jet-black iron tower engraved with ancient light runes. The tower had five levels, and when it appeared, the world dimmed abruptly.
Strange light surged at the top of the iron tower.
"It's one of the mystical creatures!” Chi Jing exclaimed. One of the three mystical creatures that built the Tianyuan Utopia’s Genesis-Drawing Formation was standing atop the tower!
However, when Chi Jing and Bian Chang failed to penetrate the tower with their powers, they found that the mysterious iron tower had formed a space of its own. It even possessed a certain control of the rules around it.
The indifferent eyes on the golden decree grew even colder, and boundless Saint fire sped down to incinerate the iron tower. However, this time, the fire that had greatly troubled Chi Jing and Bian Chang failed to have any effect. It quietly died out as it approached the iron tower.
“Wan Zu. In my place, you have to follow my rules,” sounded a faintly discernible voice from the iron tower. Two words emerged as the voice faded.
Heavenly Sun.
“Only Heavenly Stage experts can enter the tower."
The indifferent eyes on the golden decree were watching intently, and they gradually faded. The golden decree also hid into the void.
The black iron tower was a means left by Cang Yuan, and it was impossible to break through with a decree alone. It would be possible if supreme sovereign Wan Zu came in person, but that was unlikely to happen. What he had done to the Tianyuan Region was already close to the limit. If he were to go too far, the other supreme sovereigns would no longer sit still and do nothing. Therefore, he had to follow the rules.
Cang Yuan, the battle between you and me isn’t over yet.
Meanwhile, at the Tianyuan Region’s southern border, in the bottomless abyss where golden lightning raged endlessly...
Sect master Xuan Kun and clan leader Bai Ye were similarly watching a black iron tower rise from the abyss slowly and withstand the golden decree’s power.
Two words slowly emerged on the iron tower.
“Nascent Source!”
Chapter 1036 Tower Competition
Heavenly Fire Ancient Forest.
The battles had ended, and the chaos left on the ground indicated how tragic the war was.
The Tianyuan Region army was beginning to clean up the battlefield, gathering bodies of fallen comrades. The region’s troops had already captured the major camps of the Great Five Alliance and controlled them.
Sitting in the camp, Zhou Yuan felt the Heavenly Fire Tree King’s power leaving his body, and he entered a state of weakness and laziness and didn’t want to move anywhere.
The little jade tree, which the Heavenly Fire Tree King transformed into, was still rooted on Zhou Yuan’s shoulder. It wasn’t that it didn’t want to leave, but it would be captured again even if it escaped due to the mark grand elder Mu Ni left on it.
The Heavenly Fire Tree King possessed some spiritual intellect and felt that Mu Ni had no bad intention; therefore, it didn’t insist on fleeing.
Many Heavenly Sun experts shuttled in and out of the camp, and when they caught sight of Zhou Yuan, their expressions turned complicated because many didn’t have a good opinion of Zhou Yuan before the battle. But everybody had seen what role Zhou Yuan had played in the Chiyun Prefecture battle.
Zhou Yuan had truly reversed the tide. If he hadn't infiltrated the enemy’s camp and stolen the Heavenly Fire Tree King, the Tianyuan Region would have had more casualties.
Zhou Yuan had undoubtedly proved himself.
Even those jealous of Zhou Yuan had no choice but to put away their thoughts after seeing him contribute greatly to the war.
They knew they would have been killed if they had to infiltrate the heavily guarded enemy camp to capture the Heavenly Fire Tree King in front of a Nascent Source expert.
But Zhou Yuan had done it. No matter what method he used, it showed that his means were greater than theirs.
Thinking about the previous rumors, they undoubtedly felt ridiculous. Those who took the rumors seriously could only sneak away with their face red with shame when they saw Zhou Yuan.
Zhou Yuan, however, paid no attention to the gazes around him. He was instead very worried about what happened to Chi Jing and the others. While thoughts raced in his mind, he suddenly saw a pair of straight and slender legs stop in front of him.
Zhou Yuan looked up to see that the long-legged owner was especially tall. Her body was stained with blood, and her face was coldly beautiful and aloof.
It was Qin Lian.
Mu Youlan stood behind her, her petite body almost covered entirely by Qin Lian's figure.
“It’s good to be alive,” Zhou Yuan said with a smile.
Qin Lian looked at Zhou Yuan's face with the same complicated expression as the others, and she immediately said indifferently, “I have killed the Wang brothers. I also broke Ji Hu’s arm and leg, but unfortunately, he managed to escape.”
“I also killed the Venomous Dragon Palace’s Chongzi,” Mu Youlan said softly.
Zhou Yuan secretly smacked his lips. The two were clearly beautiful women, but what they said was too terrifying.
“This time”—Qin Lian pursed her lips—“it’s all thanks to you.”
If Zhou Yuan hadn't stolen the Heavenly Fire Tree King, she would have had to pay a heavy price even if she successfully killed the Wang brothers.
Mu Youlan nodded, her fair cheeks reddening.
They originally had many opinions about Zhou Yuan’s decision to choose a target from the bounty list because they felt his action was too reckless and could affect the overall situation. But who would have thought that Zhou Yuan would be the one to earn the most war credit in the end?
This made Qin Lian and Mu Youlan a little embarrassed because, after some reflection, they found that they mainly felt that way because they hadn’t trusted Zhou Yuan from the beginning.
Zhou Yuan waved his hand, saying, “I am a member of the Tianyuan Region, and I did what I should have done.”
Of course, he also knew that the two women had previously doubted his ability. However, he thought it was normal because no one would believe someone could possess a foundation of 700 million Genesis Qi stars at the initial Heavenly Sun stage.
Normally speaking, any initial Heavenly Sun expert who dared enter into the depths of the enemy’s camp was seeking death.
In truth, Qin Lian and the others were thinking of him.
Looking at Zhou Yuan's indifferent expression, Qin Lian thought he might be a little angry, so she bit her lip and said, “It’s my fault this time. We shouldn’t have questioned your ability.”
Mu Youlan hurriedly added, "If you want to blame someone, blame me. I said all those things to elder sister Qin Lian.”
Zhou Yuan didn’t know whether to laugh or cry when he heard the two’s explanation. He awkwardly scratched his head, saying, “I really don’t blame you two. After all, you’re not master Cang Yuan, so how could you see my potential?”
Although Zhou Yuan’s words might be true, Qin Lian and Mu Youlan wanted to give him a beating.
“Just joking.” Zhou Yuan smiled.
Qin Lian's and Mu Youlan's expressions eased a little. They crouched down and asked curiously, "How did you steal the Heavenly Fire Tree King? I heard there was a Nascent Source expert guarding the camp.”
Zhou Yuan briefly explained it to them, seeing that they were so interested. Of course, he had succeeded mainly due to the Heavenly Fire Tree King’s power.
Dragon Prince Yuan c1-1251 Page 536
