Zhou Yuan's calm voice reverberated in the spacious hall, causing the air to freeze for several breaths.

The smile on the faces of Han Jinhe and the others suddenly stiffened. They evidently didn’t expect Zhou Yuan to answer so firmly.

The three exchanged glances, eyes flashing with anger.

Although they were unaffiliated cultivators, they had experienced spells of good fortune in the past. Otherwise, they wouldn't possess their current foundation. Therefore, the arrogance in their hearts wasn’t any weaker than that of many top Heavenly Sun experts in the Tianyuan Region.

They had trekked the world alone and enjoyed the carefreeness. If it weren’t for the great opportunity in Guyuan Heaven, they wouldn’t have voluntarily come to the Tianyuan Region.

Strictly speaking, even if they joined the Tianyuan Region, it was just an employment-like relationship, and once the affairs in Guyuan Heaven were over, they would leave the Tianyuan Region at any time.

In Hunyuan Heaven, all forces, including the other eight regions, did everything they could to recruit top unaffiliated cultivators. As a result, many unaffiliated cultivators’ status had soared like the tide.

Even the Nascent Source elders from the Tianyuan Region treated Han Jinhe and the others respectfully, which made them even more arrogant.

It was precisely because of their increased arrogance that they couldn’t accept Zhou Yuan’s tough attitude.

Qin Lian swept her gaze over Zhou Yuan without a ripple on her face, but a trace of worry flashed across the depths of her eyes. Of course, Qin Lian couldn’t disagree with Zhou Yuan taking over command, given his status as a grand elder.

However, she thought Zhou Yuan would be a little gentler. After all, the three people in front of them weren’t from the Tianyuan Region, and Zhou Yuan's grand elder status might have little importance to them.

If Zhou Yuan angered them and made them leave, given the three’s prestige among the unaffiliated cultivators, many would leave with them, and the Tianyuan Region’s recruitment would be a waste of effort.

However, despite the worries and doubts in her heart, Qin Lian didn't interrupt in the end, which could be considered as giving Zhou Yuan enough face.

Hu.

Han Jinhe’s face was icy-cold. He drew a deep breath and suppressed his anger. He looked Zhou Yuan in the eye and said, “It seems that grand elder Zhou Yuan looks down on us unaffiliated cultivators. Since that’s the case, we shouldn’t stay and be humiliated any longer.”

He turned around and was about to leave.

Xue Qingmei and Wang Su also shook their heads. The Tianyuan Region’s youngest grand elder gave them the feeling of inexperience and recklessness. It seems it was a mistake to come to the Tianyuan Region. We don't know how good his ability is, but his temper isn’t small.

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.