Buzz!

As beams of majestic Genesis Qi gushed into the white-jade mirror above the Qi Observation Platform, a pillar of blinding light suddenly shot into the sky and illuminated everything.

The pillar hovered in the air for half an hour, which was undoubtedly much longer than the first time. But this also indicated that the white-jade mirror’s detection area would be clearer and larger than before.

Under countless anxious gazes, the rays of light retracted and eventually disappeared into the white-jade mirror.

Swoosh!

Rays of light swept out and formed an incomparably large map in midair. The map was much clearer than the last time, and the flow of ancestral qi was evidently more intense!

But when all eyes gathered on the map, a loud commotion suddenly broke out.

This was because they saw 14 areas on the map where astonishingly strong ancestral qi lingered. The ancestral qi was so rich that the area was seemingly shrouded by faint yellow clouds.

Seeing the 14 areas, even top experts such as Guan Qinglong, Wang Xuanyang, and Dong Ye were stunned for a good while, and their pupils shrank. The class of the area detected this time was clearly higher than the first time. The veins in the previous areas were at most low class, and the one that Zhou Yuan found, which gave birth to mysterious treasures, was regarded at the middle level.

According to Zhou Yuan’s Decoder Saint Rune, every one of the 14 new areas was not inferior to the previous areas! Of course, Guan Qinglong and the others might not know this, but that didn’t stop them from seeing the importance of the 14 areas.

On the other hand, the other forces showed disappointment. Although they coveted the 14 areas, they knew they would have no chance because each force could choose two map fragments this time. The strongest experts from the nine regions, such as Guan Qinglong, Wang Xuanyang, and Dong Ye, should manage to grab one each, and the nine regions would no doubt send out their other strongest members to compete for the remaining five pieces.

Therefore, a fierce competition for the remaining five areas would inevitably break out.

This piqued many forces’ interests. Such a battle wouldn’t happen on a large-scale, but the fight would depend on real skills. Therefore, they hoped to see the other sides suffer so that they would have a chance. All the forces simultaneously drew back silently and left the battlefield to the others, as though ready to watch a good show.

“The Wushen Region has as many experts as the number of clouds. In addition to Guan Qinglong, Bai Chuchu also made a name long ago. It is said that she competed with Guan Qinglong for the leader position of the Wushen Region’s Heavenly Sun stage. Although she failed, she kept a low profile and went into closed-door cultivation. However, she is no doubt the second strongest Heavenly Sun expert in the Wushen Region.”

"Bai Chuchu is indeed very strong, but Qianhu isn’t someone easy to deal with either. Even his name is enough to make children cry. Whoever he fights either dies or is severely wounded or tortured if they are an enemy.”

“But the second strongest from the other regions aren’t simple either. This competition is going to be interesting.”

“Then what about the Tianyuan Region?”

"The second strongest Heavenly Sun expert in the Tianyuan Region should be Bai Yu. Unfortunately, the White Clan had rebelled, and their patriarch was suppressed. Thus, the people of the White Clan had no right to participate in Guyuan Heaven.”

"Without Bai Yu, there's still Bian Buji and Mu Youlan."

“Have you forgotten the Tianyuan Region’s grand elder?”

“Haha…”

Everyone whispered to one another, but they burst into laughter whenever Zhou Yuan’s name was mentioned.

Zhou Yuan’s identity as a grand elder was too dazzling here. Generally speaking, only Law Domain experts could become a region’s grand elder. That status was too distant to many Heavenly Sun experts. However, Zhou Yuan had obtained that awe-inspiring status while having strength at the Heavenly Sun stage. This was difficult for many people to accept.

Dong Ye from the Zixiao Region ran her eyes across the tense battlefield and turned to say to Su Youwei, “Who do you think the Tianyuan Region would send out besides Qin Lian? Bian Buji or Mu Youlan?”

Su Youwei softly gazed at a slender figure across from them and smiled. "Senior sister, you know my answer.”

Dong Ye smiled indifferently and said, "Youwei, don't be so biased. If he intervenes, he will only embarrass himself. Even Lu Qing, who Zhou Yuan defeated before, can’t be compared to the second best from the other eight regions.”

Su Youwei smiled. "Senior sister, do you want to make a bet? If His Highness Zhou Yuan can win a map fragment, you can’t talk bad about him in front of me again. Also, if he encounters any danger in the future, you have to help him once.”

"Help him once?" Dong Ye raised her slender brows and cast a glance over her shoulder. “Are you worried that Wang Xuanyang will target him?”

Su Youwei nodded.

"You really...," she said in an exasperated voice, but in the end, she agreed. "I’ll make the promise, but if he fails, you have to promise me to contact him less in Guyuan Heaven.”

Recently, she had found that speaking ill of Zhou Yuan in front of Su Youwei didn’t have much effect, so she had to change her strategy. If she could reduce the two’s contact, perhaps it could make Su Youwei wake up.

Su Youwei smiled sweetly, and her beautiful face seemed to be glowing.

In truth, she wasn’t worried that Zhou Yuan would lose against the other region’s second strongest because she had gone to find Zhou Yuan many times when they were stationed on the Heavenly Pillar Peak and she often saw Zhou Yuan practicing with Qin Lian.

Although she didn’t know if Qin Lian was concealing her strength, Zhou Yuan's Genesis Qi foundation was, to some extent, not inferior to any other second-best expert of the eight regions. However, Su Youwei was worried about Wang Xuanyang.

Wang Xuanyang had long secured the second spot on the Heavenly Sun List. Even Dong Ye might not be a match for him, let alone Qin Lian. Now that things had gotten so ugly between Zhou Yuan and Wang Xuanyang, Wang Xuanyang would undoubtedly make a move if he had the chance. Therefore, Su Youwei had to find a reason to make Dong Ye help Zhou Yuan out.

On the Tianyuan Region’s side, Qin Lian wasn’t captivated by the 14 areas rich in ancestral qi. She immediately turned to ask Zhou Yuan, “What should we choose? Are there also fake lands among those 14 areas?”

The so-called fake lands were those similar to the ones that the Wanzu Region and the Xuehai Region had chosen last time.

“Don’t pick a wrong one this time,” Zhou Yuan said with a smile. “There are indeed real and fake areas among the 14, but the harvest this time should be greater than the last time.”

“How about this..." Qin Lian shifted her gaze to the 14 areas. "I will snatch one in a moment, and the other five…maybe you can grab one. How does that sound?” she said with a smile.

Her expression was relaxed because she was well aware of Zhou Yuan’s strength, even if the others didn’t. At the very least, Qin Lian had never truly won against Zhou Yuan during their training. Although she had trump cards that she didn't use, she also felt Zhou Yuan was holding back his strength.

Zhou Yuan might not necessarily lose against the weaker no. 1 Heavenly Sun experts from some regions. Moreover, only the second-best Heavenly Sun experts from each region would be competing for the five remaining map fragments.

"Pay more attention to Qianhu from the Wanzu Region. Wang Xuanyang most likely chose him as your opponent,” Qin Lian reminded him.

“The Wanzu Region’s Qianhu…” Zhou Yuan tilted his head slightly and peered at the Wanzu Region team. His eyes were drawn to an ugly man standing beside Wang Xuanyang. The man was grinning sinisterly at him.

After a glance, Zhou Yuan retracted his gaze and shook his head expressionlessly.

"I hope his strength will surprise me, like his appearance…"