Chapter 1189: Holy Fire Extinguished

The Genesis Runes of Cangxuan numbered four, all stripped from the Cangxuan Genesis Seal.

Zhou Yuan first saw the most mysterious fourth rune on Elder Xuan of the Cangxuan Sect. Subsequently, by a strange turn of events, the four Genesis Runes, along with the largest fragment of the Cangxuan Genesis Seal, became hidden within his Divine Dwelling.

Zhou Yuan was now intimately familiar with the first three of the four Genesis Runes, which had assisted him greatly over the years.

However, the true form of the fourth Genesis Rune remained a mystery to Zhou Yuan.

He didn't even know its name.

In Zhou Yuan's perception, the fourth Genesis Rune was likely the most powerful of the four. While his insufficient strength had partly prevented him from seeing its true form, Zhou Yuan believed the main reason was that the opportune moment had not yet arrived.

What opportune moment?

After years of probing, Zhou Yuan felt that this "opportune moment" was simply... when the threat level wasn't high enough.

That's right. Although the fourth Genesis Rune had always eluded his true grasp, it had resided in his Divine Dwelling for several years. Through certain special perceptions, he felt that the fourth Genesis Rune possessed a greater spiritual essence than the preceding three. Its failure to truly manifest was because the dangers Zhou Yuan had encountered were not yet severe enough!

Perhaps it felt that given its status, it couldn't just appear casually, as that would diminish its prestige.

Could a Genesis Rune truly possess such sentience?

Whenever Zhou Yuan considered this, he felt a bit bewildered.

It was precisely because he had vaguely ascertained the opportune moment for the fourth rune's appearance that Zhou Yuan allowed himself to be trapped within Jiatu's Star River Annihilation.

Jiatu was formidable. Over the years, Zhou Yuan had encountered many powerful individuals of similar rank, but none had pushed him to such a desperate, almost hopeless, state.

However, this very crisis was the perfect opportunity for Zhou Yuan to draw out that arrogant fourth rune.

Therefore, as the destructive power approached, Zhou Yuan unhesitatingly burned his flesh and blood, mobilizing all his strength and channeling it into the fourth Genesis Rune within his Divine Dwelling.

"Big shot, you've been in my body for so many years, isn't it time to pay some rent?!"

As Zhou Yuan's voice echoed within him, a previously faint, ancient glowing pattern on the Genesis Rune light sphere within his Divine Dwelling suddenly flared to life.

It was like a great sun bursting forth.

As the destructive power of the collapsing Star River crushed space and enveloped Zhou Yuan,

The last glimmer of hope in the eyes of countless individuals from the Five Great Heavens gradually faded. In such despair, no one cursed aloud; instead, figures simply slumped powerlessly.

In the distance, the Sacred Race forces erupted in harsh, cold laughter.

Jiatu stood in the void, watching the scene with a faint smile, as if admiring his masterpiece.

"After eliminating this fellow, what should we do with those people from the Five Great Heavens?"

"So many people... let's refine them all into Blood Origin Pills. Heh, it's a pity for the elites painstakingly cultivated by the Five Great Heavens in this generation."

Jiatu watched as the destructive power of the Star River Annihilation completely engulfed Zhou Yuan's body. The fellow should now be reduced to nothingness. It was truly a bit of a shame; his flesh and blood could have been refined into extremely potent Blood Origin Pills.

Just as these thoughts crossed his mind, Jiatu's hair suddenly stood on end.

His pupils gradually constricted, almost turning into snake-like vertical slits.

His expression, previously relaxed, became one of shock and coldness.

For he saw a figure standing silently at the center of the Star River Annihilation, enduring the destructive force yet remaining as unmoving as a millennium-old bedrock.

Jiatu's spiritual perception was even clearer: the power of the Star River Annihilation had not impacted Zhou Yuan's body.

Instead, it had suddenly evaporated about an inch from him.

At that very moment, countless gazes within the Sacred Evolution Barrier also perceived this phenomenon.

A faint glimmer of light began to appear in the previously dull, hopeless eyes of the Five Great Heavens' forces.

The Sacred Race forces, however, erupted in whispers of surprise and doubt. Even some of their most prominent figures wore expressions of astonishment and disbelief. They, too, could not comprehend why Zhou Yuan's figure stood unperished amidst the depths of the Star River...

Facing such power, no one in the Heavenly Sun Stage should be able to withstand it!

But that guy... why wasn't he dead?!

Jiatu stared intently at the figure. Zhou Yuan's body still appeared withered, like a dried corpse, but in Jiatu's perception, an incredibly terrifying power seemed to be coalescing within that shriveled form.

Even he felt a tremor in his heart from that power.

"Putting on an act!"

Killing intent flowed in Jiatu's eyes. He formed hand seals, and from the star-river-like scroll, another roaring Stellar Star River, seemingly formed from stars, surged forth like an endless giant dragon, suppressing Zhou Yuan.

Zhou Yuan slowly raised his somewhat withered face, gazing at the roaring Stellar Star River descending upon him.

Then, he opened his mouth.

Some dry sounds emerged from it, along with a faint wisp of smoke that was almost comical.

Zhou Yuan then coughed forcefully.

By then, the Stellar Star River had torn through the air and arrived. Compared to the Star River, his figure was as tiny as a speck of dust...

However, at that very moment, his continuously coughing mouth seemed to clear. The next instant, a wisp of flame, about the thickness of a pinky finger, shot out.

The flame appeared exceedingly ordinary, showing no signs of being a powerful technique.

But when it lightly floated out and collided with the Stellar Star River...

There was no sound, nor any terrifying surge of Origin Qi. Yet, the Star River, under countless stunned gazes, seemed to evaporate, instantly dispersing into thin air, leaving not a trace behind.

A gentle breeze swept across the land.

Zhou Yuan scratched his throat; his withered body felt itchy.

In the void, Jiatu's expression froze. His previous playful composure gradually vanished, and streaks of horror surged in his perpetually condescending eyes.

At this point, how could he not understand...?

The Zhou Yuan he had always held in his palm and toyed with had begun to slip from his grasp.

That seemingly ordinary wisp of flame, though indeed unassuming, carried fluctuations that Jiatu found familiar. Such fluctuations were unique to Saints, which meant...

That tiny flame, minuscule as it was, must be the legendary fire only Saints could possess...

Saint Fire.

At this moment, even Jiatu felt an urge to curse aloud.

You're in the Heavenly Sun Stage and you're summoning Saint Fire?!

What the hell, is this guy even human?!!