Chapter 1161: Not Accepting

Zhou Yuan unexpectedly became the Grand Commander of All-Heavens. However, he didn't pay much attention to this role. If it weren't for the fact that being in this position helped to slightly consolidate the power of the five Heaven Domains, he would have had absolutely no interest in it.

After all, the higher the position, the greater the responsibility; one misstep, and he could easily become a scapegoat.

Yet, Zhou Yuan couldn't refuse. When facing the mysterious and powerful Saint Race, the forces of the three Heaven Domains needed a pillar to anchor their hope and confidence. Guan Qinglong and Jiang Jinlin could have served this purpose initially, but with Zhou Yuan's recent breakthrough, they were no longer quite sufficient.

If he didn't step forward now, it would significantly impact the morale of the three Heaven Domains' forces.

The most important matter at hand was the struggle for the nine primal veins that had just appeared!

Compared to these, the previously discovered ancestral qi branch veins and even the mysterious traces were insignificant.

The power contained within these nine primal veins could even influence an immense Heaven Domain.

For cultivators at the Heavenly Sun stage like Zhou Yuan, such power was simply unimaginable. If it weren't for the unique rules of the Ancient Source Heaven, their current strength would barely qualify them to participate in a conflict of this magnitude.

However, this also presented an immense opportunity for them. Even if they could only capture a mere wisp of the power contained within the nine primal veins, it would be enough to bring about an unimaginable transformation.

Such an opportunity was truly once in a millennium.

Therefore, immediately upon becoming the so-called Grand Commander, Zhou Yuan issued an order for all forces from the three Heaven Domains to set off at once, heading towards the central area from which the fluctuations of the nine primal veins emanated.

The vast army advanced at full speed without any further stops. Even when encountering ancestral qi branch veins that had emerged due to the appearance of the nine primal ancestral veins, they decisively abandoned them.

Everyone understood that the main forces from other Heaven Domains, including the Saint Race, were undoubtedly heading in the same direction at full speed.

Arriving early would allow them to make some predictions and preparations regarding the situation.

Countless clouds of Genesis Qi whistled across the sky, a magnificent and vast sight.

Zhou Yuan sat cross-legged on the foremost Genesis Qi cloud, his eyes slightly closed as he sensed the numerous changes within his body.

The benefits he gained from the stone tablet this time were considerable.

Not only had his cultivation advanced to the late Heavenly Sun stage, but his Genesis Qi foundation had also surged to 4.3 billion, definitively breaking through the 4 billion mark. This threshold should not be underestimated, as countless prodigies of astonishing talent had ultimately been halted here.

Even figures like Guan Qinglong might struggle to make further progress without an even greater opportunity, only being able to seek a chance to break through to the Nascent Soul stage.

Furthermore, there was a significant difference between entering the Nascent Soul stage with a 3.9 billion Genesis Qi foundation and entering it with a 4 billion foundation, which could even affect future cultivation progress within the Nascent Soul stage.

Wu Yao, Su Youwei, and Zhao Mushen, however, possessed the qualification and potential to challenge the 4 billion threshold, as their talents surpassed even Guan Qinglong's by a level.

It was precisely because this threshold was so difficult that Zhou Yuan's 4.3 billion foundation was so remarkable. This was also why, when his foundation was revealed, the forces from the three Heaven Domains collectively agreed to appoint him as their Grand Commander.

Such a foundation of strength was enough to command respect.

However, a Genesis Qi foundation of 4.3 billion was not Zhou Yuan's entire gain from this experience.

The dragon mark on his Heavenly Sun had completely developed its seventh pattern.

It should now be called a Seven-Claw Heavenly Sun.

It was no longer far from the ultimate Nine-Claw Heavenly Sun. According to information from Senior Brother Zhuan Zhu, once a Nine-Claw Heavenly Sun was achieved, a cross-realm breakthrough would occur upon entering the Nascent Soul stage.

Minor Nascent Soul, Major Nascent Soul, and Grand Completion Nascent Soul were the three levels of the Nascent Soul stage.

While others would only form a Minor Nascent Soul upon breaking through, a Nine-Claw Heavenly Sun allowed one to directly condense a Major Nascent Soul!

This was equivalent to skipping an entire stage.

Only those strong individuals already in the Nascent Soul stage would truly understand how much accumulation and opportunity were required to advance from Minor Nascent Soul to Major Nascent Soul. Such a cross-realm breakthrough was enough to drive them mad with envy.

"However, the further along the dragon mark develops, the more difficult it becomes to condense. If I truly want to reach the Nine-Claw level, I will likely need the power of a primal vein!"

There were nine primal veins, with the strongest typically referred to as the First Primal Vein, and so on.

For Zhou Yuan to reach the Nine-Claw level, lesser primal veins would not suffice; he would need the most profound First Primal Vein!

Feeling the fervent heat welling up within him, Zhou Yuan opened his eyes, gazing at the distant horizon with sharp, resolute determination.

This struggle for opportunity was inherently brutal. Therefore, whether for the Hunyuan Heaven or for himself, he had to strive to contend for the First Primal Vein in the upcoming battle for the nine veins!

Even if his opponent was the most mysterious and unpredictable Saint Ancestor Heaven!

The main force's full-speed journey continued for a full ten days.

By the tenth day, Zhou Yuan finally sensed the increasingly surging and vast ancestral qi fluctuations in the world, indicating they were beginning to enter the central region where the nine primal veins had appeared.

However, just as they stepped into this area, Zhou Yuan suddenly raised a hand.

The vast Genesis Qi clouds behind them instantly halted.

Beside him, Guan Qinglong, Jiang Jinlin, and the others also frowned, looking ahead, because at this moment, they sensed a sudden emergence of massive Genesis Qi fluctuations in front of them.

The scale of these fluctuations was not much inferior to their own.

"Is it the main force of the Saint Race setting up an ambush?" Guan Qinglong asked gravely.

Zhou Yuan slightly shook his head, a hint of surprise appearing on his face. "Not the Saint Race," he said, "but forces from Qiankun Heaven and Five Elements Heaven."

"Oh?"

Guan Qinglong was also somewhat surprised, not expecting Qiankun Heaven to have converged with Five Elements Heaven.

As they halted, several streaks of Genesis Qi light shot up from the distant mountains, swiftly approaching their position.

Seeing this, Guan Qinglong immediately spoke up, his voice spreading like rolling thunder.

"Friends from Qiankun Heaven and Five Elements Heaven, our Hunyuan Heaven, Myriad Beasts Heaven, and Azure Profound Heaven have jointly nominated Captain Zhou Yuan from the Tianyuan Region of Hunyuan Heaven to serve as the Grand Commander of the five Heaven Domains. We invite the commanders of your two Heaven Domains to come forward for a discussion!"

Guan Qinglong made no attempt to conceal anything. Instead, he immediately stated the most important matter clearly, also using the opportunity to gauge the reactions of Qiankun Heaven and Five Elements Heaven.

After all, with a major battle against the Saint Race imminent, they first needed to find a way to unite the forces of the five Heaven Domains.

The several Genesis Qi figures who had originally been approaching instantly halted upon hearing these words, then receded back behind the mountain range.

The atmosphere remained silent for a while.

Finally, a voice, impossible to discern its mood, emerged from behind the mountain range, echoing across the sky.

"Your nomination..."

"...Qiankun Heaven does not accept."