Chapter 1018: Infiltration

Terrifying Genesis Qi storms raged across the land.

The immense battlefield stretched from the ground into the void. Violent Genesis Qi erupted almost everywhere, as brutal fighting ensued and the air reeked of blood.

The boundless forest was razed to the ground, the earth was torn asunder, and mountains crumbled.

As the war between the two sides raged fiercely, a shadow appeared at the Genesis Rune barrier outside the allied forces' main camp.

Hidden in the shadows, Zhou Yuan's gaze swept over the enormous Genesis Rune barrier. Even he was secretly astonished by the surging Genesis Qi flowing across it. This barrier was clearly of a high grade and possessed considerable power; otherwise, it would not have been used to protect the main camp.

Against a barrier of this caliber, even with his strength at the early Heavenly Sun Stage, Zhou Yuan knew he would struggle to penetrate it, even if he exerted every ounce of his power.

However, if brute force was out of the question, perhaps a clever approach would work.

"Barrier-Breaking Sacred Rune!"

Deep within Zhou Yuan's eyes, an ancient sacred rune emerged, slowly circulating.

The Barrier-Breaking Sacred Rune was the first sacred rune Zhou Yuan had ever acquired. While it didn't offer direct combat prowess, it allowed him to discern numerous flaws, making it ideal for dealing with Genesis Rune barriers.

Genesis Rune barriers are formed from countless interconnected runes. Within these numerous connections, there are always imperceptible defects and weaknesses. Such flaws are extremely subtle; sensing them purely through spiritual perception would require exceptionally profound spiritual attainment and a deep understanding of Genesis Runes.

The Barrier-Breaking Sacred Rune, however, was precisely what could uncover these weaknesses.

When Zhou Yuan activated the Barrier-Breaking Sacred Rune, the Genesis Rune barrier before him instantly transformed. It was no longer a mere Genesis Qi shield but a complex interplay of countless runes circulating and flowing within it.

The sheer scale of the rune operation caused a faint, stinging sensation in Zhou Yuan's spiritual perception, even with the aid of the Barrier-Breaking Sacred Rune.

He forcefully suppressed the pain, and with the sacred runes swirling in his eyes, he rapidly sought out the minute flaws.

In the blink of an eye, half an incense stick's worth of time had passed.

Two streaks of blood even trickled from the corners of Zhou Yuan’s eyes, making him appear somewhat terrifying.

His wide, staring eyes finally closed slowly.

Zhou Yuan wiped away the blood from his eyes, a faint smile playing on his lips. "What an amazing Barrier-Breaking Sacred Rune," he murmured.

Even this Genesis Rune barrier, which Genesis Infant Stage experts would struggle to breach quickly, had its flaws exposed by his Barrier-Breaking Sacred Rune.

He clenched his hand, and the Heavenly Yuan Brush appeared. Its tip began sketching in the air before him, and within mere seconds, hundreds of Genesis Runes materialized beneath it, silently merging into the barrier ahead.

These runes couldn't destroy the barrier, but like a virus, once integrated, they swiftly deactivated a small section of the Genesis Rune barrier.

Consequently, after only a few breaths, a long, narrow gap appeared in the Genesis Rune barrier before Zhou Yuan.

Zhou Yuan smiled faintly, then glanced at the brutal battlefield behind him. Without hesitation, his figure dissolved into a shadow and slipped through the gap.

After Zhou Yuan vanished, the Genesis Rune barrier gradually resealed.

Elsewhere in the main camp, hundreds of Genesis Rune masters sat in meditation, controlling the barrier's operation. One of them suddenly glanced at a specific point on the light orb before him, his brow furrowing as he vaguely sensed a slight disturbance in the barrier.

However, the disturbance was too subtle; after a moment of hesitation, he shifted his gaze elsewhere.

High in the sky, Qin Lian wielded the Fire Sparrow Great Saber. Its blade danced, emitting a sparrow's cry that echoed across the heavens. Surging crimson light swirled around her as she battled fiercely with the Wang brothers and Ji Hu.

All three of her opponents attacked with extreme ruthlessness, and as their Genesis Qi collided, thunderous roars echoed.

Qin Lian's expression was sharp and resolute; even facing three opponents, she showed no signs of weakness. On the contrary, her scorching and powerful saber qi forced her three adversaries into a state of disarray.

In just half an incense stick's time, they had exchanged hundreds of blows.

As time wore on, Qin Lian's brow couldn't help but furrow. She noticed that the three opponents' Genesis Qi seemed inexhaustible, and even when she managed to wound them, their injuries healed with astonishing speed.

"Is it because of that light beam?" Qin Lian wondered, glancing at the beam connected to the three behind them. The light beam emanated directly from the void, and she had tried to sever it earlier, but to no avail.

Wang Haiyuan and the other two's enhanced ferocity in combat likely stemmed from this mysterious light beam as well.

"This is trouble..."

Qin Lian bit her lip. If she was facing such difficulty, the pressure on the other Heavenly Sun Stage cultivators must be even more immense, and the casualties at this point were undoubtedly severe.

This war had proven unexpectedly brutal.

Moreover, she had no idea how Elder Yi Qianji and the others were faring.

Qin Lian's gaze swept skyward, where terrifying Genesis Qi storms raged. That was the battlefield of Genesis Infant Stage experts, and the victory or defeat there would be even more critical.

Elder Yi Qianji had always been slightly stronger than Xu Mu, but with the mysterious light beam's power involved this time, the outcome was truly uncertain.

Should they suffer a complete defeat today, it might even provoke a confrontation between the Law Domain Stage experts from both sides. That would truly be a move that affects the entire situation, potentially altering the very landscape of the war.

"Currently..."

"There's nothing left but to fight to the death!"

A sharp, resolute glint flashed in Qin Lian's eyes. She gripped her saber hilt tightly, and the ponytail that usually hung like bamboo sections to her ankles suddenly burst apart, cascading down like a waterfall of dark silk.

Fiery red Genesis Qi surged, instantly transforming her dark hair to crimson.

"Ah!"

Qin Lian let out a long cry toward the heavens. The next instant, she seemed to transform into the shadow of a fire sparrow. Her saber blade swept, tearing through the void, and with terrifying might, it slashed down fiercely at the three opponents before her.

The Wang brothers and Ji Hu also sensed Qin Lian's explosive power. That fierce aura made even these hardened men recoil in fear, but they were no ordinary opponents. They quickly composed themselves and met her charge with savage glares!

On any other day, the three of them wouldn't dare to engage Qin Lian in a life-or-death struggle. But with the augmentation of the light beam, this was the perfect opportunity to slay her!

If they could slay her here, their names would truly resound throughout the Primordial Heaven!

The problems Qin Lian encountered were, as she had expected, not exclusive to her. Mu Youlan and other late Heavenly Sun Stage cultivators were experiencing similar issues.

Aided by the mysterious light beam, these opponents fought as if fearless of death. Not only had their strength significantly increased, but their physical injuries healed with astonishing speed. If this continued, it would undoubtedly have a colossal impact on the battle.

From a high vantage point, one could vaguely discern that the Tianyuan Region's army was already showing signs of being pushed back.

In the void, beyond the reach of ordinary individuals, abyssal presences loomed—the Law Domain Stage experts from both sides, observing the battlefield.

On the Tianyuan Region's side, one presence fluctuated slightly before settling back into dormancy, though a faint hint of anxiety and anger emanated from it.

As the war relentlessly ground down the strong cultivators on both sides, deep within the main camp, a shadow materialized within the darkness of a tent.

Zhou Yuan looked up. Not far away, a mysterious crystal tower stood silently.