Chapter 1013: Very Strong Zhou Yuan

Amidst the chaotic ancient forest, several gazes were fixed, almost paralyzed, on Zhou Yuan, who remained motionless, having just delivered a powerful punch. Especially captivating were the scattered fragments of divine souls swirling before him. They were dazzling, yet sent shivers of dread through those who witnessed them.

The Divine Residence realm experts from the five top factions, after a moment of stunned silence, gradually came to a realization, recognizing the scattered fragments of divine souls. Immediately, they felt a chilling despair.

"Lord Zhang Zihao... was obliterated by a single punch?"

"How is that possible! Lord Zhang Zihao was a mid-stage Purple-Gold Heavenly Sun expert, with Genesis Qi reserves exceeding six hundred million!"

"Yet, he's only an early-stage Heavenly Sun expert!"

"But... Lord's Genesis Qi fluctuations have indeed vanished..."

The Divine Residence realm experts felt on the verge of madness, their temples throbbing uncontrollably. This outcome had clearly shaken them to their core, making it difficult to accept.

Zhou Yuan, however, paid no mind to their disbelief. He gazed at the scattered fragments of divine souls before him, then produced a bronze mirror and absorbed one of the fragments into it.

"It seems very potent..." Zhou Yuan murmured softly, his eyes gleaming with divine light as a slight smile touched his lips.

What he found potent, of course, wasn't Zhang Zihao, whom he'd instantly killed with a single punch, but rather himself—specifically, his own profound Genesis Qi reserves and his newly evolved Genesis Qi. While Zhou Yuan knew Zhang Zihao wasn't a significant challenge, he hadn't anticipated that a single punch would instantly obliterate him, shattering even his divine soul. Clearly, he had underestimated the immense power of his own Genesis Qi reserves, which totaled seven hundred and twenty million.

Furthermore, the Genesis Qi he cultivated had evolved into the Eighth-Grade Heavenly Dragon Qi. Zhou Yuan could confidently state that, even across the entirety of Hunyuan Heaven, very few individuals could boast a higher grade of Genesis Qi than his own. Eighth-grade Genesis Qi was considered peak-tier even within the Nine Regions, an attainment beyond the reach of most cultivators. Therefore, despite his Genesis Qi reserves being seven hundred and twenty million, if he were to face someone with similar reserves but only Seventh-grade Genesis Qi, Zhou Yuan could easily overpower them.

Zhang Zihao's Genesis Qi reserves and grade were both inferior to Zhou Yuan's, and he had been somewhat overconfident. Thus, it was perfectly logical that Zhou Yuan's punch, imbued with the "Source Breaking" brush hairs, would utterly obliterate him.

As the Divine Residence realm experts from the five alliances witnessed Zhou Yuan collecting the divine soul fragments, their eyes widened in terror. Having been at war with the Tianyuan Region for so long, they were well aware that this was standard procedure for the opposing hunting squads after eliminating a foe. This confirmed that their Lord Zhang Zihao had truly been annihilated by a single punch from Zhou Yuan.

The realization left them numb with shock, but they also understood the immediate danger. After a quick glance at each other, they scattered in all directions, fleeing desperately. If even Zhang Zihao could be obliterated with one punch, remaining there would simply be a death sentence.

"Stop them all." Zhou Yuan watched their flight, his expression indifferent, and spoke. Allowing these individuals to relay the news would undoubtedly bring about a concerted attack from the five top factions.

As Zhou Yuan's command fell, Yi Qiushui, Ye Bingling, Mu Liu, Han Yuan, and the others swiftly surged forward. Though they were outnumbered, their opponents' morale had completely crumbled, making them unwilling to engage in direct combat. Zhou Yuan’s figure, too, vanished into a shadow from his spot, reappearing in mid-air. With a grasp of his hand, the Heavenly Yuan Brush materialized. He flicked its tip, and a dozen snowy-white bristles shot forth like streaks of white light, piercing through the void. They swiftly pursued and entangled the bodies of over a dozen Divine Residence realm experts. Genesis Runes emerged on the bristles, quickly imprinting themselves upon the cultivators' bodies. Consequently, their internal Genesis Qi was instantly sealed, and they tumbled helplessly to the ground.

With Zhou Yuan's intervention and the assistance of Yi Qiushui, Ye Bingling, and the others, not a single Divine Residence realm expert managed to escape within mere moments. All were sealed and captured. Keeping them alive and handing them over to the Military Merit Hall would also yield substantial war merits.

Yi Qiushui and the others dealt with the captives before finally turning their gazes toward Zhou Yuan. For a moment, they were speechless, still reeling from his earlier display of overwhelming power. They found it almost impossible to comprehend how Zhang Zihao, with over six hundred million Genesis Qi reserves, had been dispatched by Zhou Yuan with such effortless ease. If Zhang Zihao were truly that easy to defeat, he wouldn't have been listed on the hunting roster in the first place.

"Zhou Yuan, are you truly only at the early Heavenly Sun stage?" Yi Qiushui couldn't help but ask. The others also looked on with eager, uncertain expressions.

Zhou Yuan smiled, the indifference in his eyes softening. "Do you think I can just jump to the mid-stage right after a breakthrough?" he quipped. Yi Qiushui and the others exchanged glances, able to attribute this only to the advantages of surpassing the limits of the Divine Residence stage.

"As I said before, I didn't bring you here to your deaths," Zhou Yuan chuckled. Yi Qiushui and the others nodded, still filled with awe. They had initially assumed Zhou Yuan's confidence in taking on such a formidable target stemmed from some special means provided by Grand Elder Xi Jing. Now, it was clear that his astonishing personal strength was the true reason. They had indeed underestimated the personal disciple of the Grand Venerable.

"I heard Zhao Mushen has also broken through to the Heavenly Sun stage and condensed a Glazed Heavenly Sun," Mu Liu remarked with a sigh. "But if you two were to meet again, I doubt he'd last even a single move against you." He mused that the former king of the Divine Residence stage had truly been left far behind by Zhou Yuan.

Upon hearing this, Zhou Yuan shook his head. "Don't underestimate that fellow," he cautioned. Zhou Yuan himself harbored a slight wariness towards Zhao Mushen. That individual possessed extraordinary resilience; even though Zhou Yuan had disrupted his breakthrough at the Nine Regions Assembly, it hadn't seemed to affect his mental state. Instead, he had immediately entered seclusion and successfully broken through, demonstrating remarkable resolve. Furthermore, his "Gluttonous Fortune" was quite peculiar; there was no telling when he might experience a heaven-defying surge of luck, leading to a sudden rise in the Heavenly Sun stage. Such an opponent could not be underestimated. It was possible that he would have to face him again in the future.

"Oh, and we found fifteen boxes of 'Tree Spirit Sap' among their possessions," Yi Qiushui said, raising her hand. A dozen jade boxes floated before them, their lids opening to reveal a vibrant reddish pulp within. Mysterious flames seemed to flicker and rise within the liquid, emanating a strong, hot aura. "They must have gathered these in the Heavenly Fire Ancient Forest recently."

As Zhou Yuan gazed at the crimson pulp, he could feel the Glazed Heavenly Sun suspended within his Divine Residence growing subtly warmer. "This is truly good stuff..." Zhou Yuan's eyes gleamed with eagerness. For Heavenly Sun stage cultivators, this substance was a rare treasure. Refining it during cultivation could accelerate progress and enhance the pure Yang Qi within their Heavenly Sun. Previously, "Tree Spirit Sap" from the Heavenly Fire Ancient Forest was strictly controlled, making it expensive and rare. However, the ongoing war had inadvertently opened up this area, allowing many to benefit from it.

"One box for each of you," Zhou Yuan said, flicking his finger. Several jade boxes floated toward Yi Qiushui and the others.

"We get some too?" Mu Liu, Shang Xiaoling, and the others were pleasantly surprised. By convention, spoils of war rarely reached Divine Residence stage cultivators like them; earning military merits was usually their sole reward. Knowing Zhou Yuan’s character, they didn't waste words and happily accepted the sap. While they couldn't use the Tree Spirit Sap yet, it would be invaluable once they reached the Heavenly Sun stage.

Zhou Yuan swept his sleeve, stowing the remaining jade boxes, then instructed two individuals to escort the captives away.

"The first target is handled. Let's go... there are still two more." Zhou Yuan smiled, casting a glance at the chaotic surroundings. This area would likely attract investigators soon, so it was time for them to move on to other targets.

With that, his figure shot forward. Behind him, Yi Qiushui, Ye Bingling, Mu Liu, Han Yuan, and the others followed eagerly, their faces alight with excitement. Compared to their apprehension an hour ago, they were now invigorated and completely at ease. They had discovered that Zhou Yuan was far more formidable than they had ever imagined!