Chapter 1076: The Prelude Begins

When Han Jinhe and the other two officially announced their addition to the Abyss Region Expedition Team, the many rogue cultivators gathered outside Phoenix Perch Tower stopped their gawking. At the same time, they were quite curious, as rumors suggested that Han Jinhe and his companions only made this decision after Elder Zhou Yuan of the Abyss Region arrived.

Furthermore, Han Jinhe and the other two did not even manage to secure a captain's position.

It was clear to anyone with discernment that Han Jinhe and the others must have been disadvantaged during their meeting with Elder Zhou Yuan; otherwise, given their unruly temperaments, how could they be so compliant? This left many rogue cultivators astonished. It seemed Elder Zhou Yuan was not as simple as they had imagined. Originally, they hadn't thought highly of this elder, who, despite his high position, was only at the early Heavenly Sun Stage. After all, a leader who needed external help to defeat Lu Qing seemed unsettling.

However, after this incident, their concerns significantly diminished. No one was foolish enough to underestimate Zhou Yuan now, especially since even troublesome characters like Han Jinhe had been subdued. To still belittle him would be utterly senseless. Consequently, many top rogue cultivators who had been observing from the sidelines also made up their minds at this point. The result was a rapid surge in the number of rogue cultivators passing through Phoenix Perch Tower within just a few days.

"The news has been confirmed. In three days, various factions from Hunyuan Heaven will gather at 'Heavenly Pillar Peak' to further discuss the many matters concerning the dispute over the Ancient Origin Heaven."

"The Ancient Origin Heaven is expected to open within a month. Before then, Hunyuan Heaven must reach an initial consensus."

Inside the hall, Zhou Yuan sat at the head. Ten-odd impressive figures were present, including native powerhouses from the Abyss Region like Qin Lian, Bian Buji, and Mu Youlan, as well as top rogue cultivators recruited, such as Han Jinhe, Xue Qingmei, and Wang Su. Of course, the number of rogue cultivators now approached a thousand; these individuals were merely their representatives.

Upon hearing Zhou Yuan's words, everyone's expressions grew slightly solemn. The forces of Hunyuan Heaven were beginning to gather, indicating that the conflict over the Ancient Origin Heaven was not far from commencing. The scale of this Ancient Origin Heaven dispute was unprecedented for everyone present; even Hunyuan Heaven's Nine Regions Grand Assembly paled in comparison. Those who could participate were undoubtedly the most elite figures across all levels of the Heaven Origin World. One could only imagine the intensity of the clashes that would ensue.

The outcome of the Ancient Origin Heaven dispute would have significant implications, as the influx of Ancestral Qi would enhance the Genesis Qi density of the entire Heaven Region. This matter directly concerned everyone. Therefore, as long as they were within the same Heaven Region, regardless of how hostile the various factions usually were towards each other, they would still need to band together at this critical time. While schemes and rivalries would inevitably arise, everyone generally understood the overarching goal.

"Our Abyss Region will depart tomorrow. Please make your preparations," Zhou Yuan stated.

Everyone nodded in agreement. After some further discussion, they dispersed. Qin Lian, who was the last to leave, bit her red lip and looked at Zhou Yuan with eager eyes. Zhou Yuan, however, shivered under her gaze. He knew Qin Lian was challenging him. Lately, she had been pestering him, insisting on three or four sparring matches daily. Since he didn't want to expose his full strength during these exchanges, their spars always ended without a clear winner. What he hadn't expected was that this only fueled Qin Lian's competitive spirit. She grew fiercer with each bout, seemingly tireless, leaving Zhou Yuan so hounded in recent days that his legs felt weak. So, at that moment, he quickly shook his head in refusal. Seeing this, Qin Lian turned and left, disappointed.

Zhou Yuan watched her slender figure, forced a wry smile, and then scratched his head. At that moment, he suddenly thought of Cangxuan Heaven. Strictly speaking, he was from Cangxuan Heaven. Yet now, he was about to fight for Hunyuan Heaven. This was because, it was said, upon entering the Ancient Origin Heaven, one would be branded with an origin mark. This mark would be sensed by the world's rules after a passage was opened, thereby directly channeling Ancestral Qi into that world.

"This doesn't make me a traitor, does it?" Zhou Yuan muttered to himself, his expression peculiar.

"I wonder who from Cangxuan Heaven will participate in the Ancient Origin Heaven dispute? Will there be any familiar faces?" Zhou Yuan felt a touch of anticipation. Based on his speculation, Chu Qing, Li Qingchan, and others were highly likely to appear.

"What about Li Chunjun, Qing Yu, and Lv Luo?" Memories stirred in Zhou Yuan's mind. These were the first companions he had met after leaving the Great Zhou Dynasty, and their friendship was the deepest. Zhou Yuan could never forget how, when he rushed back to the Great Zhou Dynasty, the Sacred Palace dispatched countless elite disciples to intercept and kill him. Yet, Li Chunjun and Qing Yu, despite their respective sects maintaining neutrality, secretly stepped forward to help him. He had always kept this kindness in his heart. Therefore, if he could meet these old friends in the Ancient Origin Heaven this time, it would be a pleasant surprise, as it would at least indicate that they were doing well within their respective sects. A smile played on Zhou Yuan's lips. If he truly encountered them, he wouldn't mind lending a hand, considering it a small contribution to Cangxuan Heaven.

The next day.

As the morning light pierced through the clouds and streamed down, countless people in Fuluo City suddenly felt the Genesis Qi of the world ripple. A massive shadow appeared from the sky, covering a significant portion of the entire city. Countless people looked up to see a colossal flying ark hovering high above, seemingly breathing in and out the Genesis Qi of heaven and earth.

From Phoenix Perch Tower within the city, Zhou Yuan glanced at the flying ark in the sky, then looked down at the open ground in front of the tower, where nearly a thousand figures stood—the top rogue cultivators recruited during this period. At this moment, they too gazed eagerly at the flying ark.

"Prepare to board!" Zhou Yuan waved his hand.

As his command fell, the nearly thousand-strong contingent, led by Han Jinhe and others, immediately soared skyward on streams of Genesis Qi, then shot towards the flying ark high above, like a swarm of locusts. Zhou Yuan, with his hands clasped behind his back, stepped into the void and ascended.

"Elder Zhou Yuan, we wish you a great victory!"

At that moment, countless voices suddenly resonated throughout Fuluo City. Zhou Yuan lowered his head slightly and saw countless gazes filled with anticipation and blessings directed towards him. This time, the dispute of the Heavens concerned the very Genesis Qi of Hunyuan Heaven. If Zhou Yuan and his team performed exceptionally and managed to open certain passages, more Ancestral Qi would flow into the Abyss Region, making its Genesis Qi even more robust and concentrated. Everyone within the Abyss Region would benefit from this. Therefore, almost everyone held a sense of goodwill and offered blessings to the departing Abyss Region team.

Zhou Yuan didn't stop. He merely gave a slight nod towards the city below, then his figure landed on the flying ark. "Set sail," he said faintly, "towards Heavenly Pillar Peak."

The flying ark hummed and vibrated. The next moment, as the Genesis Qi of heaven and earth roared, the ark directly tore through the sky and ascended. Simultaneously, across various parts of Hunyuan Heaven, diverse colossal flying vehicles, carrying elite teams, surged grandly towards Heavenly Pillar Peak. This spectacle of might and momentum far surpassed the previous Nine Regions Grand Assembly. With that, the prelude to a grand dispute among the Heavens was unveiled.