Lights streaked across the sky, so fast that sonic booms followed in their wake, echoing far into the distance.

“Your highness, we’re almost at the core area.” At the front, Su Youwei gazed into the distance as her usually gentle voice turned solemn.

Zhou Yuan gave a light nod of acknowledgement. After occupying a few Ancestral Spirit Anchor Points, he had led the team straight towards the core region because he understood that hiding was no good. Both sides would have to ultimately wipe the other out if they wanted to fully occupy the battle zone.

The reason why he had avoided fighting previously was because the other party far outclassed them in both scale and power. After the earlier battle, however, the numbers advantage was now with them.

Of course, Zhou Yuan understood that such an advantage was quite meaningless. The third stage Law Domain expert could easily make up for the gap.

If not for the uncertainty factor that was himself, Zhou Yuan suspected that Yuan Quan could single handedly wipe out the entire team.

A third stage Law Domain expert was not as easy to deal with as he had imagined. After all, it was an existence that was nearest to the Saint stage, a level that Zhou Yuan could only look up to in the past.

A sliver of worry flitted across Su Youwei’s eyes as she observed the grave look on Zhou Yuan’s face. Although he appeared confident in front of the other team members, she could feel the pressure he bore.

However, she could not provide any substantial help in the face of an expert like Yuan Quan. The only thing she could do was to stop the other Sacred Race experts from interfering and create a battlefield where Zhou Yuan did not have to worry about anyone else.

As if sensing her worry, Zhou Yuan tilted his head and displayed a small smile.

“Don’t worry, it’s not the first time I’ve encountered a formidable foe over the years. As for how it’ll turn out, we’ll know only after we fight.”

Su Youwei forcefully nodded. “Your highness, I believe in you!”

Zhou Yuan chuckled and abruptly increased his speed, leading the team towards a vast mountain range to their front. All of a sudden, his pupils shrank as he slowed his speed. Spirit power surged out, stopping the others behind him.

“What is it?” asked Zhao Mushen, Wu Yao and the others.

Zhou Yuan did not reply, his line-of-sight focused on the front. After the mountain range was a seemingly endless desert where endless gales blew. Flowing sands formed enormous sand dunes, creating a sight that resembled giants carrying mountains in the desert.

A seated figure could be seen on the highest sand dune.

The figure wore golden armor and a great halberd had been thrust into the ground beside him. Wind mixed with sand grains blew in the desert with astonishing force, but the area within a hundred feet of him was completely silent. Any wind that reached its range abruptly began to behave obediently, silently laying down by his side like a little puppy.

An indescribable pressure spread from the golden armored figure, seemingly suppressing the entire desert.

When they saw the figure, the expressions of everyone behind Zhou Yuan could not help but change as voices filled with terror escaped from the cracks between their teeth, “That’s...golden armor Yuan Quan!”

Zhou Yuan stared at the golden armored figure that had subdued the entire desert with his presence alone. It was Yuan Quan, whom they had encountered once previously. He was no ordinary individual in the Sacred Race and definitely ranked top ten among their many Law Domain experts.

“You guys arrived later than I expected.” When Zhou Yuan and the others crossed the mountain range and appeared on the edge of the desert, Yuan Quan raised his head. He paid no attention to the others, his gaze directly seeking out Zhou Yuan.

“I remember you, Zhou Yuan of the all-heavens. A few years ago, you clawed victory from the jaws of defeat in the battle for Guyuan Heaven and caused quite a stir in the Sacred Race.”

Yuan Quan’s eyes were completely calm, so calm that it made others feel waves of chill sweep through their bodies.

“I underestimated you previously and did not pay you much attention because I thought you were just a small fry. This was my mistake and I’ve paid quite a painful price for it.” Yuan Quan sighed and gently patted his golden armor, releasing a clink sound.

“Fortunately, I still have a chance to make up for it.”

Yuan Quan grasped the great golden halberd beside him as he slowly rose to his feet. When he stood up, the entire desert seemed to turn dusky as an indescribable killing intent abruptly exploded.

The wild and untamed winds froze under the killing intent as the temperature rapidly plummeted.

Frost spread across the sand.

Sand gathered behind Yuan Quan, slowly forming a sand statue. The statue’s appearance was exactly the same as Zhou Yuan’s.

Yuan Quan seemed to mutter to himself in a voice filled with killing intent so chilling that it made one’s scalp turn numb, “Zhou Yuan, I said earlier that I will peel off you skin and place it on this statue to appease the departed souls of Chi Liu and the others.

“So…” He pointed the halberd at Zhou Yuan, “Are you ready to be punished?”

Not even the slightest trace of fear was visible on Zhou Yuan’s face. He merely turned his head and said to Ai Tuanzi, Su Youwei and the others, “I’ll leave the other scattered members of his team to you guys.

“As for him...Tuntun and I will handle it.”

Tuntun growled atop his head, its pupils flickering with black light as it prepared to face this formidable foe.

“Be careful.” There was worry in the eyes of Ai Tuanzi and the others but all they could do was leave him these words of caution. Besides Zhou Yuan and Tuntun, no one else could possibly hope to threaten Yuan Quan. Moreover, even the duo did not favor their odds.

After all, all of them clearly understood that Yuan Quan was far more powerful than Chi Liu.

If even Zhou Yuan and Tuntun could do nothing against Yuan Quan, the only fate that awaited them today would be death.

Zhou Yuan walked forward in the air, arriving above the desert after several steps. He was now a thousand feet from Yuan Quan.

Roar!

Tuntun leaped off his head as it rapidly grew, turning into a giant purple-gold beast.

Yuan Quan stared at the man and beast as he indifferently said, “Nascent Source Genesis Qi, initial Allroamer stage Spirit. It is hard to believe you managed to defeat Chi Liu and the others with such power. No wonder my Sacred Race heaven prides were subdued in the battle for Guyuan Heaven.

“It’s a pity that your miraculous journey will end today.”

As the final word rang out, endless Genesis Qi abruptly erupted from his body.

A Genesis Qi pressure enveloped the area, the entire desert seemingly shaking under its might.

Zhou Yuan’s expression changed slightly. His senses told him that Yuan Quan’s Genesis Qi foundations had surpassed 800 billion! This was on a completely different scale than Chi Liu.

What a terrifying foundation!

Genesis Qi surged behind Yuan Quan like a sea. He pointed his great halberd at Zhou Yuan as a sinister and cruel smile grew from the corners of his mouth.

“Zhou Yuan, I am interested to see how you will overcome the cultivation difference to fight me today!”