Dragon Prince Yuan c1-1251

by Translator: Yeow

  Their eyes flashed with contempt, and they were about to leave without saying anything.

  Watching the three leave, Zhou Yuan said indifferently, “Go, our Tianyuan Region doesn't need people who only come to seek benefits.”

  Han Jinhe’s footsteps halted, and his expression was icy-cold. He knew Zhou Yuan was using reverse psychology to make him stay, but he couldn’t ignore it because if the matter were to spread, it would no doubt ruin their reputation.

  Han Jinhe sneered without turning his head, "What a joke. Although I dare not say that we are invincible against the Heavenly Sun experts in the Tianyuan Region, there are only a handful of Heavenly Sun experts in the Tianyuan Region we are fearful of, such as elder Qin Lian.

  "Of course, it doesn’t include you, grand elder Zhou Yuan. If you weren’t a grand elder, then just because you defeated Lu Qing…” His tone was mocking, and the meaning of his words was obvious.

  “Nonsense!” thundered Qin Lian.

  Zhou Yuan waved his hand, motioning Qin Lian to not get angry, and slowly stood up. “To know whether or not I’m a fool, it’s useless just standing there. You will know the answer when you try.”

  This time, Han Jinhe and the others finally turned around, staring at Zhou Yuan with a strange gaze. Did Zhou Yuan want to personally test their strength?

  The corners of Han Jinhe’s mouth curved slightly upwards as he sneered, “Grand elder Zhou Yuan, you wouldn’t be finding an excuse to detain us, right? That wouldn’t sound good if such a matter spread.”

  Although Zhou Yuan had defeated Lu Qing, which was considered a good achievement, Lu Qing wasn’t on the same level as them.

  However, Zhou Yuan ignored their ridicule and continued, "The test is very simple. As long as you three don’t move a step under the pressure of my Genesis Qi, you can have the captain position.”

  Qin Lian looked rather taken aback. What did Zhou Yuan say? He wanted to deter the three with the pressure of Genesis Qi alone?

  What is Zhou Yuan planning?

  She wasn’t the only one shocked. Han Jinhe and the others were even more stunned, and then anger immediately rose to their eyes. “Grand elder Zhou Yuan, do you want to humiliate us?”

  According to what they knew, Zhou Yuan had only been at the Heavenly Sun stage for a short period of time, although he was quite well known in Hunyuan Heaven. Moreover, he was only able to defeat Lu Qing with the help of foreign means.

  They felt any one of them could easily deal with Lu Qing.

  So even if Zhou Yuan were to fight them alone, the chance of him winning would be extremely small. Moreover, he wanted to suppress the three with the pressure of Genesis Qi alone?

  Boom!

  Zhou Yuan didn't say anything else to them and just indifferently took a step forward. At that moment, two glass Heavenly Suns emerged behind him and erupted with 1.86 billion Genesis Qi stars.

  Boom!

  The void violently trembled.

  A Genesis Qi storm erupted from Zhou Yuan's body, and then a terrifying Genesis Qi pressure overwhelmingly raged around them.

  When the Genesis Qi raged, the expressions of Qin Lian, Han Jinhe and the others changed drastically.

  “Intermediate Heavenly Sun stage?!”

  “1.86 billion Genesis Qi stars?!”

  Qin Lian's eyes widened in disbelief. She was shocked about Zhou Yuan’s breakthrough and his extremely terrifying Genesis Qi foundation.

  This was the first time she saw an intermediate Heavenly Sun expert with a foundation of 1.86 billion stars!

  His foundation was comparable to many top advanced Heavenly Sun experts!

  Shock also brimmed the eyes of Han Jinhe and the other two. Among the three, Han Jinhe was the strongest, and his foundation had reached 1.9 billion. On the other hand. Xue Qingmei and Wang Su possessed foundations of around 1.8 billion.

  However, their Genesis Qi grade wasn’t as great as Zhou Yuan's, so when Zhou Yuan revealed his foundation of 1.8 billion, they suddenly felt a huge pressure enveloping them.

  The ground around their feet shattered into powder.

  "How could this be..." Stormy waves were set off in the three’s hearts. They gritted their teeth and frantically circulated their Genesis Qi to withstand the overwhelming pressure.

  Zhou Yuan's eyes were icy. He knew that the three people were arrogant and couldn’t be subdued with ordinary means. So, he angered them, and it would restrain their arrogance as long as he could crush their anger.

  Zhou Yuan activated the Heavenly Yuan Brush’s Promotion Rune with a clench of his hand.

  As a result, the two glass Heavenly Suns behind Zhou Yuan grew even brighter, and his foundation rocketed.

  1.9 billion!

  2 billion!

  2.1 billion!

  As the terrifying Genesis Qi pressure increased, the shocked horror in the eyes of Han Jinhe and the others intensified. Even Qin Lian couldn’t help but circulate her Genesis Qi to withstand the pressure. Even if Zhou Yuan’s Genesis Qi wasn’t directed at her, she could still feel oppression from the escaped Genesis Qi.

  She stared intently at Zhou Yuan's figure, her eyes flickering.

  In truth, she had also received many resources from the Heavenly Spirit Sect in the past few months, and even sect master Xuan Kun had personally given her guidance in cultivation. This had helped her increase her foundation from 2.1 billion to 2.3 billion!

  But that kind of improvement, compared to Zhou Yuan's, wasn’t even worthy of being mentioned.

  In the hall, the bodies of Han Jinhe and the others squeaked under the terrifying Genesis Qi pressure, and the panic in their eyes grew increasingly intense. They were close to their limits, but Zhou Yuan’s Genesis Qi pressure didn’t seem done yet!

  Zhou Yuan expressionlessly stared at the three struggling. Then, with a stamp of his foot, his Genesis Qi foundation suddenly soared by another 200 million!

  It had reached 2.3 billion! The same level as Qin Lian’s!

  Boom!

  At that moment, Han Jinhe and the others finally couldn't bear it any longer. With a muffled grunt, blood seeped through the corners of their mouths, and they didn't dare to resist any longer. They shot back in embarrassment.

  As they retreated, the two glass Heavenly Suns behind Zhou Yuan faded, and the terrifying Genesis Qi also cleanly vanished, as though the previous raging storm-like scene was an illusion.

  However, the several people present understood it couldn’t be an illusion.

  Even Qin Lian’s countenance changed. She didn't expect Zhou Yuan's Genesis Qi foundation to be equal to hers, and she felt that 2.3 billion most likely wasn’t Zhou Yuan's limit.

  Maybe this guy is taking my face into consideration and didn't directly surpass me.

  She sighed in her heart and then looked pitifully at the terrified faces of Han Jinhe and the others.

  Zhou Yuan had clearly put them in their place.

  Chapter 1077 Subdued

  The devastating Genesis Qi pressure had already faded from the hall. However, Han Jinhe and the other two were drenched in sweat, the earlier disdain in their eyes now replaced by terror.

  They had been utterly frightened by Zhou Yuan’s terrifying Genesis Qi pressure.

  A 2.3 billion Genesis Qi foundation!

  And it was not even the advanced Heavenly Sun stage, but the intermediate!

  The three of them were top practitioners among the numerous unaffiliated cultivators, but when had they ever seen such a frightening intermediate Heavenly Sun stage foundation?! Even the current king of the Heavenly Sun stage, Guan Qinglong, was not this terrifying at the intermediate stage, right?

  The Han Jinhe trio finally experienced the meaning of a despairing gap. The three of them had stepped into the Heavenly Sun stage many years ago but had now been left in the dust by Zhou Yuan, who had only advanced to the Heavenly Sun stage half a year ago.

  On the stone steps to the hall, Zhou Yuan’s face remained impassive as he stared at the trio below
.

  Under his gaze, the three gradually returned to their senses. For a time, ashamed looks colored their faces. Recalling their arrogant attitudes towards Zhou Yuan earlier made them feel like a bunch of clowns.

  Zhou Yuan withdrew his imposing aura as he slowly said, “Do the three of you still feel that I am not qualified enough to lead the Tianyuan Region’s Heavenly Sun team?”

  The trio exchanged a look. In the end, they said with some difficulty, “We are the ones who were blind.”

  How could they not understand by now that grand elder Zhou Yuan’s goal had been to subdue their arrogance? The provocations from earlier were merely setting the groundwork.

  Zhou Yuan gazed at them. There was almost no trace of the uncompromising stance from earlier as he said, “I understand the three of you want to become captain because you’re worried that we will give careless commands that will result in serious losses among the unaffiliated practitioners. However, I feel that my Tianyuan Region is still one of the nine regions after all, and we are still a formidable force to be reckoned with. To be blunt, if we do encounter something that even we are unable to handle, sending you guys out as cannon fodder won’t change anything.”

  The Han Jinhe trio relaxed somewhat due to the softening of Zhou Yuan’s attitude. Although Zhou Yuan was implying they weren’t strong enough, they had already withdrawn their prideful attitudes after being intimidated. After some serious consideration, they felt that Zhou Yuan’s words were not unreasonable.

  “The captain has the authority to command all of the Tianyuan Region’s forces. If there are too many people in this position, it will lead to confusion and chaos. For the sake of the big picture, I have to refuse your request.”

  Zhou Yuan’s calm voice and kindly eyes were a very effective combination.

  However, he knew that if he had begun in this manner, the trio would have likely felt that he was easily bullied and would have tried to take advantage of him, something the unaffiliated practitioners were particularly adept at. But with the “big slap” given to them at the start, although the trio’s expressions were currently a little ugly, they had begun to accept Zhou Yuan’s reasoning for rejecting them.

  The three felt somewhat downcast. After all, they had not only failed to get the job but had also been roughed up by Zhou Yuan. This was quite a blow to their confidence, and they did not know how they would face their supporters outside later.

  Zhou Yuan cast a glance at them as he smiled faintly. “However, although I cannot give you three the captain position, I have acknowledged your strength. I will appoint you as vice captains with the authority to command your own teams. Of course, you’ll have to first run them through me and captain Qin Lian.”

  The Tianyuan Region had recruited quite a number of unaffiliated cultivators. These cultivators were used to freedom and were untamable individuals. If he were to forcibly supervise them, it would make them more rebellious towards him. Hence, it would be better to hand the lot over to the Han Jinhe trio to manage. If any conflicts were to occur, he would have the trio take responsibility, and he might even have the chance to act as the good guy and win their hearts over.

  As such, he had already planned to give this position to them. However, he could not yield it so easily at the start. He needed to first teach them a lesson so that they would obediently listen to his words and not cause more trouble.

  Sure enough, the downcast trio immediately perked up at his words. They joyfully looked towards Zhou Yuan. “Vice captain?”

  Zhou Yuan nodded and smiled. “If the three of you don’t feel that it’s beneath you, we shall proceed accordingly.”

  The trio exchanged a look before nodding. Somewhat embarrassed, they said, “We were too hot-headed earlier. I hope that grand elder Zhou Yuan can forgive us.”

  By this time, they had no choice but to submit. After all, there was not much time left till Guyuan Heaven opened, and after experiencing Zhou Yuan’s strength, they were now somewhat expectant towards his performance. If they could get a share of the rewards in Guyuan Heaven, being ordered around like a little brother would not be unacceptable.

  Unaffiliated practitioners like them could endure anything in order for a chance to grow stronger.

  Zhou Yuan smiled as he nodded. “You guys will be in charge of grouping the unaffiliated practitioners outside.”

  The Han Jinhe trio nodded repeatedly as they patted their chests. “Don’t worry, grand elder Zhou Yuan. We will take care of everything.”

  After finishing, they hurriedly exited the hall.

  As he watched them leave, Zhou Yuan chuckled softly.

  Qin Lian tilted her head to the side and clapped. A rare smile appeared on her beautiful but aloof face. “Grand elder Zhou Yuan’s carrot-and-stick approach has nearly reached perfection.”

  Smiling, Zhou Yuan shrugged.

  Qin Lian somewhat eagerly looked Zhou Yuan up and down. “But I’m even more curious about how strong you’ve grown. Shall we have a small match to test your strength?”

  Previously, there had been a huge gap in strength between Zhou Yuan and Qin Lian. However, she could not sense a dangerous sensation from him. This undoubtedly drew out her competitive side.

  Zhou Yuan’s heart shivered at the burning light in Qin Lian’s eyes. He hurriedly shook his head and quickly turned around to leave.

  Boom!

  However, just as he was about to lift his foot, an astonishing burst of Genesis Qi erupted behind him, then roared straight towards him.

  ...

  While Zhou Yuan was dealing with the eager Qin Lian, the Han Jinhe trio had returned to the building.

  Several hundred top-tier unaffiliated cultivors immediately crowded over at the sight of them.

  “Brother Han, how did it go? Has the Tianyuan Region given you guys the captain position?”

  Han Jinhe looked at the crowd with an indifferent face. “Relax everyone, the Tianyuan Region views us as a very important force. We fought hard with grand elder Zhou Yuan for everyone’s benefit.”

  “Grand elder Zhou Yuan? He’s here?” Numerous unaffiliated cultivators gasped. Regardless of Zhou Yuan’s strength, his grand elder status drew respect, especially in the Tianyuan Region.

  Han Jinhe smiled and nodded. “Grand elder Zhou Yuan’s reputation is well-deserved, and we even exchanged a few pointers with him. His strength is truly amazing, and I believe that under his and captain Qin Lian’s leadership, the Tianyuan Region team will certainly achieve good results in the upcoming Guyuan Heaven battle. We’ve definitely come to the right place.”

  These words immediately drew astonished looks from the numerous unaffiliated cultivators. The three had exchanged pointers with Zhou Yuan? They clearly understood the trio’s strength. When they joined forces, they were able to put up a fight even against the Tianyuan Region’s strongest Heavenly Sun expert, Qin Lian. Wasn’t grand elder Zhou Yuan at the initial Heavenly Sun stage?

  Why was Han Jinhe so full of praise for Zhou Yuan’s strength?

  Uncertainty flickered in the eyes of the numerous unaffiliated cultivators, but no one doubted Han Jinhe’s words. After all, it was far too easy to uncover any lies. If it was true, Zhou Yuan had likely grown tremendously over the past few months.

  This was not impossible. After all, he was supreme sovereign Cang Yuan’s personal disciple. Moreover, supreme sovereign Zhuan Zhu was currently overseeing the Tianyuan Region. As his junior brother, Zhou Yuan might have received some personal guidance.

  At this thought, the numerous unaffiliated cultivators could not help but readjust their attitude. As unaffiliated cultivators, they thoroughly understood the importance of strength.

  Han Jinhe nonchalantly said, “Hehe, since we already have such great captains, the three of us will not go after that position. Fortunately, grand elder Zhou Yuan regards us very highly and has asked us to take on the vice captain positions to specially take charge of all the unaffiliated cultivators. Everyone can come over to register
with us. We still need to report to grand elder Zhou Yuan after the teams are formed.”

  Xue Qingmei’s and Wang Su’s faces turned a little red. They had clearly been disciplined by Zhou Yuan, but the story had changed completely after Han Jinhe had told it.

  However, the unaffiliated cultivators present did not scrutinize the story and were instead overjoyed. After all, they felt that the vice captain position was more or less the same, and following Han Jinhe and the others was better than someone else giving them orders.

  Some of the affiliated cultivators who had been watching as bystanders secretly breathed a sigh of relief. They had not approved of Han Jinhe and the other’s intentions to become captains, but they had been powerless due to their strength and influence. They were, of course, also worried about their own interests like the Han Jinhe trio. Fortunately, the worst scenario had not occurred.

  However, this scene made them think a little.

  They knew that Han Jinhe was extremely prideful. Given how he now revered Zhou Yuan, it could only mean that Zhou Yuan had crushed their ambitions.

  This made them both curious and happy.

  If their guess was right, the Tianyuan Region might become one of the main Hunyuan Heaven teams in the Guyuan Heaven battle.

  Chapter 1078 It Begins

  When the Han Jinhe trio officially announced joining the Tianyuan Region expedition team, the unaffiliated cultivators gathered outside the Phoenix Perch House quickly dispelled any thoughts of waiting for some entertainment. It also made them rather curious. From the small snippets of information they were able to glean, it seemed that the Han Jinhe trio had made this decision on the same date the Tianyuan Region’s grand elder Zhou Yuan had arrived.

  Moreover, the Han Jinhe trio had failed to obtain the captain position.

  Some of the sharper individuals surmised that the trio had clashed with grand elder Zhou Yuan and lost. Why else would such proud individuals like them suddenly become so obedient?

  This made many unaffiliated cultivators click their tongues in admiration. It appeared that grand elder Zhou Yuan was not as simple as they had thought. They had originally not been optimistic of him because of his initial Heavenly Sun stage cultivation despite his high-ranking position. After all, a leader who needed to borrow an external power to defeat Lu Qing did not seem dependable.