Chapter 1096: One Punch

The heavy hammer, roaring like a tiger, sped directly towards Zhou Yuan’s head under the watchful gaze of many. The void around him fractured instantly.

Standing in mid-air, Zhou Yuan calmly watched the tiger hammer descend with destructive power. Slowly, he clenched his fist and met the attack with a single punch. This punch was utterly unadorned, a stark contrast to Qian Hu’s fierce and unparalleled assault.

Many onlookers secretly shook their heads, their gazes turning to pity. In their view, Zhou Yuan could have preserved his life by dodging, but instead, he refused to retreat and met the attack head-on. This was clearly a suicidal act!

Amidst numerous regretful glances, the tiger hammer descended, crashing down like a mountain onto Zhou Yuan’s outstretched fist. At that moment, the void seemed to crack, and a terrifying shockwave raged like a storm. However, everyone’s gaze slowly froze. They realized that when the tiger hammer landed, the expected scene of Zhou Yuan being effortlessly shattered did not occur.

He remained steadfast in the void, unmoving. His fist collided with the tiger hammer, which then rippled violently. Cracks spread across its surface, and with a thunderous sound, it exploded into countless specks of light. The air seemed to solidify. Countless people blanched in shock.

Even Qian Hu, his grotesque face filled with disbelief, couldn't comprehend it. He had poured all his strength into that strike, yet not only did it fail to make Zhou Yuan retreat even half a step, but it was shattered by a single punch. What immense power was this?! "How is this possible?!" The scars on Qian Hu’s face writhed like centipedes, a mix of ferocity and terror.

As countless astonished eyes watched, two Heavenly Suns faintly appeared behind Zhou Yuan. Simultaneously, an incredibly powerful wave of Genesis Qi swept out like a storm, its pressure engulfing the entire area. Twenty-three billion Genesis Qi foundation! The moment this foundation was revealed, gasps of awe echoed throughout the town. Even the top figures from the other eight regions were visibly moved.

Twenty-three billion—that was an undeniable force, even among them! Guan Qinglong, too, stared at the two Heavenly Suns behind Zhou Yuan, his eyes deepening slightly. Wang Xuanyang, however, who had previously appeared composed, now wore a completely grim expression. Only then did he understand Qin Lian’s earlier words—he had truly brought this humiliation upon himself.

But how was it possible? How could Zhou Yuan possess such a deep Genesis Qi foundation?! Wang Xuanyang’s eyes clouded over. Was it a technique that temporarily and significantly boosted Genesis Qi? He certainly had a clear grasp of the details regarding Zhou Yuan’s defeat of Lu Qing in the Heavenly Sun Tower. What he hadn’t anticipated was that this special technique, instead of weakening after Zhou Yuan entered the middle stage of the Heavenly Sun Realm, had actually become even more potent. Many secret arts that temporarily boost Genesis Qi foundation were very effective in the early Heavenly Sun Realm, but their efficacy tended to diminish as one's own Genesis Qi foundation continuously grew.

"How is this possible!" Qian Hu finally roared. The next instant, his eyes blazed with ferocity, and tiger stripes appeared on his body, his murderous aura almost solidifying. "Tiger Demon Body!" His roar was like a tiger's.

"You attacked with a hammer earlier; how about I return the favor with a punch now?" However, his tiger-like roar was interrupted by Zhou Yuan's laughter. Before the laughter faded, Zhou Yuan had already taken a step forward.

With that single step, boundless Genesis Qi pressure enveloped Qian Hu from all directions, pressing down on him like a series of towering mountains. A Genesis Qi foundation exceeding two hundred million directly suppressed Qian Hu's roar, causing his blood to surge. "Great Blazing Devil."

Suddenly, crimson patterns appeared on Zhou Yuan’s skin, and a scorching aura diffused from within him, causing the void to slightly twist. Red mist steamed, and his pupils gradually turned crimson. A violent and terrifying power roared within his body, finally spreading throughout his limbs.

Zhou Yuan’s face was devoid of expression. He clenched his fist, and pristine white hairs emerged, forming a snowy-white gauntlet. "Source Annihilation." The white instantly transformed into an abyssal black, deep and sharp, with a faint glow shimmering upon it. "Myriad Whales."

Around him, the void trembled, and ancient whale cries echoed. Gigantic, ancient whale phantoms appeared, swimming like fish through the surrounding void. Zhou Yuan unleashed a punch.

To Qian Hu, that punch looked like thousands of ancient whales surging toward him, shattering the void. The terrifying power caused fear to spread like wildfire in his heart. However, as the second most prominent figure in the Myriad Ancestors Territory’s Heavenly Sun Realm, he knew that if he retreated in fear now, not only would he suffer severe injuries, but a shadow of fear would also be left in his heart, making future cultivation difficult.

So he bit his tongue, spitting out a mouthful of vital blood. As the blood landed on his body, his tiger stripes immediately turned scarlet. Qian Hu’s body also abruptly swelled, resembling a peerless ferocious tiger. Roaring, he clenched his massive fist, forming a pouncing tiger stance, and, gathering all his strength, collided head-on with Zhou Yuan’s incoming punch.

The flowing aura of heaven and earth seemed to freeze at that moment. The two fists collided.

However, the collision lasted only a few breaths before Qian Hu’s face turned blood-red, and he spat out a large mouthful of fresh blood. His entire arm exploded into a bloody mist. His body was sent flying back like a cannonball, finally crashing heavily onto the ground, tearing a deep gully into the earth. Qian Hu’s body was buried under the debris, his fate unknown.

The entire scene fell silent. Stunned gazes fixed on the sight: Qian Hu, the notorious second-in-command of the Myriad Ancestors Territory, had been instantly defeated by a single punch from Zhou Yuan!

The other second-in-command figures from various regions, who had still been locked in fierce combat, couldn't help but stop fighting. They stared at the scene with astonished and uncertain expressions, and deep apprehension and fear began to appear in their eyes as they looked at Zhou Yuan. Even Bai Chuchu frowned slightly, her gaze fixed on Zhou Yuan with solemnity. Previously, everyone had thought Zhou Yuan was the easiest target, a soft persimmon to be picked. But now, it was clear he was an alligator in sheep’s clothing, capable of swallowing even a fierce tiger like Qian Hu whole!

Facing the deathly silence in the arena, Zhou Yuan’s expression remained largely unperturbed. He slowly withdrew his fist, not sparing a glance for the unconscious Qian Hu. Instead, he reached out and directly grasped a map fragment of a mid-grade Ancestral Qi region. "My Heavenly Abyss Territory will graciously accept this map fragment," he stated calmly. However, the other second-in-command figures from various regions remained silent. Not a single person dared to object; the power Zhou Yuan had displayed proved his qualification.

And so, the second map fragment of the five mid-grade Ancestral Qi regions fell into Zhou Yuan’s hands.