Only Fan Yao’s terror filled cry lingered in the ancient mountain forest.

Zhou Yuan indifferently looked at the enormous crack before him from the giant pit. Moments later, the ageless yellow receded from his eyes, along with the crystal layer on his arm.

Urgh!

As the power faded from his body, Zhou Yuan’s expression suddenly changed slightly. Bloody wounds abruptly began to appear on his body, a sign that his flesh was being ripped apart.

Especially his arm, where an indescribable pain was surging from. His skin seemed to unravel thread by thread, as blood poured out, running along his arm and flowing down his fingertips.

Zhou Yuan grimaced in pain. He knew that the power that had flooded into him earlier had been too great, and his body had been incapable of bearing the burden, leading to these injuries.

Fortunately, he practiced the little Mythic Saint Body, and had initiated himself in external cultivation. Otherwise, his body would likely have not been able to hold out before he could release the power.

While intense pain continued to explode in his body, ancient dark green patterns suddenly began to emerge on his skin. Abundant life force spread from the runes and poured into his flesh.

The tearing of his flesh soon began to stop, the intense pain also slowly fading as the dark green light spread. Zhou Yuan could feel himself regaining control of his body.

“The Taiyi Green Wood Mark!”

Zhou Yuan cried out in a pleasantly surprised voice. These dark green runes were from the Taiyi Green Wood Mark he practiced.

The Taiyi Green Wood Mark could absorb external life energy and use it to repair the body. It was currently the most suitable method to heal his physical injuries.

In a short span of a few dozen breaths, the terrifying wounds on Zhou Yuan’s body had fully recovered. With a small jolt from the Genesis Qi in his body, the blood was also shaken off. He now looked entirely unharmed, completely unlike someone who had just experienced a bitter battle.

Zhou Yuan breathed a deep sigh of relief. Although the Taiyi Green Wood Mark did not have any offensive capabilities, its abundant life energy and recovery power was in Zhou Yuan’s opinion not the least bit inferior to the seven Cangxuan arts.

Take what had just happened for example. Although he had managed to slay Fan Yao, the current situation was still rather chaotic. It would be very problematic if he were made immobile due to the backlash from over straining his body.

“The Earth Saint Rune is indeed very terrifying…”

Zhou Yuan lowered his head and looked at his palm in amazement, where the Earth Saint Rune was slowly submerging back into his flesh..

In that split second earlier, it had been very clear just how astonishing the ageless yellow Genesis Qi that had flooded his body had been.

It was the Genesis Qi of the earth.

This was an extremely unique Genesis Qi that was hidden within the land. Its heaviness was without equal, and ordinary individuals were incapable of moving it, but through the Earth Saint Rune, one could mobilize the Earth Genesis Qi as long as one was in contact with the land.

However, it was also due to the heaviness of this Genesis Qi that created such a huge burden on the body.

In addition, Zhou Yuan could feel that this was not the limits of the Earth Saint Rune. Its true capabilities had been vastly reduced due to his current cultivation.

According to Zhou Yuan’s estimates, if the day came where his cultivation reached a certain point, he may even be able to draw upon the Earth Genesis Qi from an entire continent.

Such power would truly be akin to ammergadon, power that went beyond one’s wildest imagination.

“As expected of the Saint Runes…”

Zhou Yuan sighed inside. The Decoder Saint Rune he obtained previously was more supportive in nature, and although it also possessed amazing magical abilities, it did not provide a clear boost to his battle power.

Due to this, Zhou Yuan had felt the four Saint Runes to be a little unable to live up to their namesakes.

Until today, when he finally witnessed the might of the Earth Saint Rune...

“I guess it’s a blessing of sorts to have the privilege of dying to the Earth Saint Rune.” Zhou Yuan gazed at the crack before him as he softly chuckled. To be frank, he had merely been hoping to test out the Earth Saint Rune, though it was a little akin to using a broad sword to kill a chicken.

Swish!

Zhou Yuan’s body slowly rose from the giant pit, as the sound of rushing wind continuously rang out behind him, an indication that the various factions were finally arriving at this location.

When they reached their destination, what greeted them was a destroyed mountain forest.

A hideous and terrifying crack had been ripped open in the endless sea of trees. It was hard to imagine what kind of crazy battle had occurred here...

Figure after figure stood on the many remaining trees, dumbstruck by the scene before their eyes, while not daring to advance any further. How had such destruction happened in the short period they had taken to arrive?

“What’s the current battle situation?”

“No idea, I don’t see any signs of Fan Yao…”

“What exactly is going on?”

“......”

The various factions whispered amongst themselves, their eyes filled with bewilderment. All they could see was Zhou Yuan’s figure, while Fan Yao was nowhere to be found.

Swish!

Tang Xiaoyan and Jin Zhang also rushed over at this moment with a group of disciples, while Wang Yuan arrived with the Sacred Palace disciples from another direction.

All of them clearly knew the importance of Zhou Yuan and Fan Yao’s fight. A decisive change would occur regardless of who lost. As such, they needed to know who the victor was as soon as they could.

However, from the expressions of both parties, it was clear that Tang Xiaoyan and Jin Zhang were the more worried side. They had after all personally witnessed Zhou Yuan fleeing earlier, and Fan Yao in that state had also been far too terrifying.

But they were somewhat puzzled when they arrived, because they were also only able to find Zhou Yuan’s figure, while no trace of Fan Yao could be seen. In fact, not even a slight Genesis Qi undulation could be sensed.

They looked at each other with dazed faces.

“Where’s Fan Yao?” Asked Tang Xiaoyan in a low voice.

Jin Zhang shook his head in response. As the two chief disciples looked at each other, a certain possibility rose in their minds, but was quickly cast out by their rationality.

At this moment, Wang Yuan was finally done searching the surroundings as he proceeded to shout, “Zhou Yuan! Where’s chief disciple Fan Yao?”

Zhou Yuan swept a glance at the former, and nonchalantly said, “Dead.”

Wang Yuan was taken aback, but soon retorted in a mocking voice, “Have you been beaten silly?!”

The others also roared with laughter. They had all seen Zhou Yuan miserably fleeing arlier, and yet he dared to say such a boastful thing now.

The faces of the Cangxuan Sect disciples turned a little red with embarrassment, feeling that Zhou Yuan’s bragging was indeed a little unrealistic.

Zhou Yuan merely chuckled at their reactions. He did not bother explaining but instead waved his sleeve, causing a stream of golden Genesis Qi to sweep out towards the levelled mountain forest in the distance.

After several dozen breaths, his Genesis Qi returned along with a white bone claw staff, which Zhou Yuan caught in his hand. It was the low grade Heaven Genesis Weapon that belonged to Fan Yao!

After toying with it for a moment, he lifted his head and pointed towards the still laughing Wang Yuan.

“I guess I can call this a memorial item?”

His soft chuckle spread, while the roaring laughter from before began to fade little by little.

Wang Yuan stared at the white bone staff in Zhou Yuan’s hand, as the ridicule on his face slowly turned rigid.

Tang Xiaoyan and Jin Zhang were stupefied, their eyes nearly popping from their sockets.

The various factions felt as if they had been struck by lightning, standing there rooted to the spot, and looking as if they had seen a ghost.

Time seemed to freeze at this very moment.