However, the recent development had alleviated their worries substantially. None of them were idiots, after all. When even three problematic individuals like Han Jinhe and the other two were subdued, only a fool would still dare to underestimate Zhou Yuan.
Hence, several top-tier unaffiliated cultivators who were originally observing in secret finally made their decision.
The result was a rapid rise in the number of unaffiliated cultivators entering the Phoenix Perch House.
...
“We’ve confirmed the news. In three days, the various factions in Hunyuan Heaven will gather at Heaven Pillar Peak to further discuss the details of the Guyuan Heaven battle. Guyuan Heaven will open within a month, and before it opens, Hunyuan Heaven needs to get everybody on the same page.”
Several extraordinary individuals were gathered in the hall, with Zhou Yuan seated at the head of the group. Besides the local Tianyuan Region practitioners such as Qin Lian, Bian Buji, Mu Youlan and the others, Han Jinhe, Xue Qingmei, Wang Su and other recruited affiliated cultivators were also present. Of course, nearly a thousand unaffiliated cultivators had already been recruited, and these were only the representatives.
The group’s expressions turned a little more solemn upon hearing Zhou Yuan’s words.
With the forces of Hunyuan Heaven gathering, it would not be long till the battle for Guyuan Heaven.
The scale of this battle was something no one present had ever experienced before, and even Hunyuan Heaven’s famous nine regions tournament would pale in comparison. Only the most elite members of each cultivation stage would be able to participate in this grand event. It was easy to imagine how intense of a clash it would be.
The outcome of the battle would greatly impact all of the heavens, as the influx of ancestral qi would increase the concentration of Genesis Qi of an entire heaven.
It was an event that directly affected every single person. Hence, the various factions of a heaven would set aside their differences and unite when the time came. Although there would still be some minor scheming, everyone would basically be on the same page.
Zhou Yuan said, “Our Tianyuan Region will set off tomorrow. Everyone should finish their preparations by today.”
The group nodded in acknowledgment. After a little more discussion, the crowd scattered.
Qin Lian was the last to leave, still biting her lip as she fervently glanced at Zhou Yuan.
Zhou Yuan shivered under her gaze. He knew that Qin Lian wanted to battle him again. She had been constantly pestering him recently and had forced him to fight three or four times a day. Since he did not plan to reveal his full power in these matches, their duels always ended in draws.
However, he had not expected this would only make Qin Lian even more competitive. She would grow fiercer and fiercer in their fights as if having an endless supply of energy. Zhou Yuan had been pestered so badly for the past few days that his legs would turn to jelly at the mere thought of it.
As such, he hurriedly shook his head to reject her.
Qin Lian could only turn and leave in disappointment.
Zhou Yuan smiled bitterly as he gazed at her slender figure before awkwardly scratching his head. Cangxuan Heaven had suddenly come to his mind.
Strictly speaking, he was a member of Cangxuan Heaven, but he was now fighting for Hunyuan Heaven. It was said that when entering Guyuan Heaven, one would be imprinted with a source brand. The laws of Guyuan Heaven would allocate ancestral qi according to one’s brand.
“Does this make me a traitor?” Zhou Yuan mumbled to himself with an odd expression. “I wonder who will be participating from Cangxuan Heaven. Will there be any familiar faces?”
Zhou Yuan felt somewhat expectant. He felt that there was a high chance of Chu Qing, Li Qingchan and the others appearing.
“What about Li Chunjun, Qingyu, Luluo and the others?”
Memories rose in Zhou Yuan’s head. They were the first group of companions he had met after leaving the Great Zhou Empire, and they were his closest friends. Zhou Yuan would never forget how Li Chunjun, Qingyu and the others had secretly aided him while maintaining their respective sects’ neutrality when the Sacred Palace had dispatched countless elite disciples to kill him on his way back to the Great Zhou Empire.
It was a debt he would always remember.
It would be pretty nice to meet these old friends again in Guyuan Heaven. At the very least, it would mean that they were doing pretty well in their respective sects.
Zhou Yuan grinned. If they did meet, he would not mind lending them a helping hand and making a small contribution to Cangxuan Heaven.
...
The next day.
When the first ray of light broke through the clouds, countless people in Resting Dragon City suddenly felt the Genesis Qi in the area ripple. A shadow appeared in the sky, enveloping nearly half of the entire city.
Everyone lifted their heads to find a giant flying ship in the sky.
In Phoenix Perch House, Zhou Yuan glanced at the flying ship before looking down from the building. Nearly a thousand figures were gathered. They were the top-tier unaffiliated cultivators who had been recruited recently.
All of them were currently looking at the flying ship in excitement.
“Prepare to board!” Zhou Yuan waved his hand.
With Han Jinhe and the others leading them, nearly a thousand people rose into the air and swarmed towards the flying ship in the sky.
Zhou Yuan also floated upwards with his hands behind his back.
“Victory to grand elder Zhou Yuan!” Countless voices suddenly rang out in the city. Zhou Yuan lowered his head and saw countless expectant eyes wishing him all the best from below.
The Battle of the Heavens affected the Genesis Qi of Hunyuan Heaven. If Zhou Yuan and the others managed to occupy and open several passages, more ancestral qi would flow towards the Tianyuan Region, making the Genesis Qi more concentrated and abundant.
Every single person in the Tianyuan Region would benefit. Hence, everyone gave their blessings to the departing Tianyuan Region team.
Zhou Yuan did not pause as he nodded to the city below. His figure soon landed on the flying ship. “We’re setting off. Onwards to Heaven Pillar Peak!”
Rumble!
The flying ship buzzed. With a gush of Genesis Qi, the ship accelerated through the sky.
Meanwhile, all kinds of giant flying vessels set off from various locations in Hunyuan Heaven, carrying numerous elite teams as they headed towards Heaven Pillar Peak.
The scale far surpassed the nine regions tournament.
A battle between the various heavens would soon begin.
Chapter 1079 Heaven Pillar Peak
Heaven Pillar Peak was located in the central zone of Hunyuan Heaven. It was an inconceivably magnificent mountain that looked like an endless giant wall even from far away. The peak was hidden within thick layers of clouds and plagued by devastating Genesis Qi storms. The storms weakened the fabric of space, causing chunks of shattered space to be drawn into the storms, giving them even more destructive power.
These terrifying storms did not limit themselves to the peak, and they would occasionally sweep downwards. All life was instantly devoured wherever they passed, making them a well-known disaster in Hunyuan Heaven.
These Heaven Pillar Peak calamity storms made the mountain one of the most dangerous locations in Hunyuan Heaven. Normally speaking, even Nascent Source experts would not dare to carelessly move about.
This also made it rather desolate.
However, the mountain had recently become the focal point of Hunyuan Heaven because one needed to pass through Heaven Pillar Peak to enter Guyuan Heaven.
The various factions arrived in swarms, ultimately gathering in the city below Heaven Pillar Peak.
Named after Heaven Pillar Peak, Heaven Pillar City looked rather ancient and was clearly unable to sustain the crazy influx of people. Therefore, tents of varying colors could be found on the plains outside
the city, stretching all the way to the end of one’s sights. It was quite a magnificent scene.
However, even such an amazing sight appeared dim in comparison to Heaven Pillar Peak. The endless tents that wrapped around the mountain’s foot were akin to ants surrounding a giant ant nest.
……
When Zhou Yuan and Qin Lian arrived at Heaven Pillar Peak with the team, they were greeted by endless camps and lights that stretched to the ends of their sights.
“So this is Heaven Pillar Peak…” Zhou Yuan raised his head and gazed at the enormous entity bathing in the glow of the setting sun. The mountain nearly filled his entire vision, and it looked endless no matter which way he turned, creating a feeling of oppressiveness.
Zhou Yuan knew that he was only looking at the tip of the iceberg. Most of the peak was concealed by thick layers of clouds.
Zhou Yuan also took note of several boundaries in the sky around the mountain. These boundaries were likely precautions against the devastating storms from Heaven Pillar Peak to prevent any losses among the gathered factions.
Qin Lian looked towards Zhou Yuan and said, “Get them to set up camp while we go into the city. I believe the other eight regions are already here.”
The various factions had gathered at Heaven Pillar Peak to discuss the battle for Guyuan Heaven. For example, they would decide on certain rules and guidelines beforehand to prevent the in-fighting from becoming too fierce since the in-fighting would only end up benefiting the other heavens.
Although no one knew how effective such rules would be in conflicts of interest, it was better than nothing.
“I guess it’ll be a meeting of formidable and ruthless characters.” Zhou Yuan grinned.
Only the most powerful Heavenly Sun experts of the various factions had the qualifications to participate in this meeting, and he would likely be the most unremarkable among them.
After all, all of them surpassed him in both experience and cultivation.
Qin Lian chuckled softly. “Experience means nothing before true power. Moreover, you’re actually the most monstrous of us all. How long has it been since you stepped into the Heavenly Sun stage? A year? What about us? Who hasn’t spent several times that period accumulating power in the Heavenly Sun stage?
“And yet, you’re already slowly catching up to us oldies...such a thing has rarely happened even in Hunyuan Heaven’s long history.”
Zhou Yuan felt a little overwhelmed by Qin Lian’s praise. He knew how prideful she was, and he had never expected her to think so highly of him.
Upon seeing Zhou Yuan’s shocked gaze, Qin Lian frowned slightly and said, “Although we could never properly decide the victor of our bouts over the past few days, do you think I didn’t realize that you did it on purpose?”
Zhou Yuan hurriedly smiled and said, “Weren’t you also holding back?”
Qin Lian gritted her teeth and retorted, “If I have to use all of my trump cards in a duel against a junior who had entered the Heavenly Sun stage so many years after me, what difference would that be from admitting defeat?”
In the face of her stubbornness, Zhou Yuan could only display a helpless smile.
While the two were conversing, the giant flying ship descended from the sky. Zhou Yuan and Qin Lian left some instructions for Bian Buji, Mu Youlan and the others before leaping into the air. They turned into two streaks of light and shot towards the small ancient city.
The city was currently filled with numerous powerful practitioners.
It was not only the Heavenly Sun practitioners that had things to discuss; the Nascent Source stage and the Law Domain stage were also meeting up. Of course, this had nothing to do with Zhou Yuan and the others.
The two landed in the western part of the city where a stone tower stood. There were numerous guards around the tower, each giving off powerful Genesis Qi undulations.
However, the guards only shot a single glance at Zhou Yuan and Qin Lian arriving. No one came forward to question or stop the duo because the guards were clearly already aware of the duo’s identities.
Zhou Yuan and Qin Lian walked straight into the stone tower after arriving. As they stepped through the entrance, a spacious stone hall greeted them, and it was already filled with people.
The hall was like some kind of arena. Stone steps extended downwards with numerous seats built into each layer.
At the very center was a round black stone table. Several figures were already seated at the thick and simple table. Every individual was resting with their eyes lightly shut. They appeared relaxed but gave off faint heart-palpitating pressure.
Only the representatives with sufficient strength were allowed to sit at the black stone table. The ones seated there were the most powerful Heavenly Sun experts in Hunyuan Heaven.
Numerous gazes looked over when Zhou Yuan and Qin Lian appeared. Some of the gazes paused on Zhou Yuan in curiosity, evidently recognizing him.
There was also no lack of indifferent gazes. The owners of these gazes clearly didn't feel that a newcomer who had stepped into the Heavenly Sun stage less than a year ago was worthy of any attention, even if he held a position in the Tianyuan Region that they could only look up to.
Zhou Yuan’s expression did not change, displaying no anger whatsoever in response to their disrespectful gazes. Just as he was about to walk forward, a familiar undulation and a light fragrance suddenly appeared behind him.
Zhou Yuan immediately felt numerous gazes shift away from him in amazement.
He did not look back because the figure had stopped when she was shoulder to shoulder with him.
He looked to the side, and a bright red dress entered his eyes along with skin as fair as snow and a slender body with enchanting curves that rose like a mountain range. A sharp nose proudly stuck out from her beautiful face, the tip seemingly glowing under the light.
As his gaze moved upwards, he found a pair of indifferent phoenix eyes silently observing him.
Icily arrogant as usual, like an empress.
Her elegance had not diminished since their last encounter.
It was Wu Yao.
“We meet again,” Zhou Yuan smiled as he called out to her.
Wu Yao swept a glance at him and said, “You’d better be careful in Guyuan Heaven. If there’s a chance, I’ll definitely take back what I lost.”
Zhou Yuan could not help but raise his brow at the faint Genesis Qi pressure from Wu Yao’s body.
Intermediate Heavenly Sun stage...looks like my senior brother was right.
Wu Yao had also received special grooming from supreme sovereign Wu Shen recently. Given her talent, the session had clearly benefited her greatly.
However, Zhou Yuan was not afraid. He had not feared Wu Yao even when she had far outclassed him in power back then, let alone now.
Hence, he laughed and said, “Anytime. But I also have a warning for you.”
Zhou Yuan sized up Wu Yao with a playful smile. “It will not be worth it when you end up losing what you still have.”
Wu Yao glared at Zhou Yuan. Although his words seemed to be disrespectful, she understood that he was genuinely warning her that she would lose again.
The faint anger in her heart slightly alarmed Wu Yao. She was usually very disciplined, and ordinary people would not be able to shake her no matter how hard they tried to provoke her. So why had she been so easily incited by Zhou Yuan?
He was really her mortal enemy!
Just as Wu Yao was about to retort, a faint chuckle suddenly sounded behind her, breaking the face-off between her and Zhou Yuan.
“Grand elder Zhou Yuan, we should all mind our own business, but I will not agree if you intend to finish off junior sister Wu Yao.” The voice was rather ordinary, but when it spread, the surrounding space seemed to ripple faintly. Zhou Yuan saw numerous gazes suddenly turn fearful and wary.
Zhou Yuan turned his head and found a man in azure robes standing two steps behind him. The smiling man had a very ordinary face that se
emed to exude an indescribable charm.
Eyes that were as deep as the abyss. All the man did was stand there, but a suffocating mountain-like pressure seemed to spread from him.
Zhou Yuan’s skin abruptly tightened as his expression turned a little grave.
He had already read the reports on Hunyuan Heaven’s most powerful Heavenly Sun experts. The man before him was likely the superman that reigned as the king of the Heavenly Sun List...
Wushen Region, Guan Qinglong.
Chapter 1080 Meeting the Two Girls Again
“Guan Qinglong…” There was a grave look in Zhou Yuan’s eyes as he gazed at the faintly smiling man behind him. At such close proximity, the man felt akin to a ferocious beast. The ominous suffocating pressure that slowly spread from him would make the legs of any ordinary Heavenly Sun expert turn soft.
The ruler of the Heavenly Sun List deserved every bit of his reputation.
A fierce look arose in Qin Lian’s eyes. She stared straight at Guan Qinglong as her foot shifted half a step towards him. However, anyone could see that she was extremely wary of him.
In the stone hall, numerous gazes filled with interest as they watched. Were the Tianyuan Region and the Wushen Region going to clash even before the conference began? But the Tianyuan Region side was clearly outclassed. Although Qin Lian was a formidable individual, there was still a big gap between her and Guan Qinglong.
However, when Zhou Yuan’s and Guan Qinglong’s gazes clashed, Wu Yao’s crescent-shaped brows scrunched together. “Senior brother Guan, this is a matter between me and Zhou Yuan. I believe that neither of us wishes for any external interference. Victory or defeat and life or death will hinge upon our abilities.”
Guan Qinglong was not surprised by Wu Yao’s reaction, evidently already well-aware of her character. He chuckled and said in a calm voice, “You’re being overly serious, junior sister Wu Yao. Victory or defeat is fine, but there’s no need for life and death, right? If it does reach that stage, I will not sit still even if you blame me later on.”
Dragon Prince Yuan c1-1251 Page 557
