Chapter 1242: Ancestor Soul Spirit Pool

A thunderous roar reverberated as the colossal, mountain-like jade elephant seal shattered into pieces, scattering jade light everywhere and drawing countless horrified gazes. No one had expected that the combined power of Liang Zheng and two other White Jade Elephant experts would be shattered by a single punch from someone who appeared to be only in the Great Yuan Infant stage. Such power was comparable to that of peak seventh-grade Origin Beast experts!

With a gush, Liang Zheng bore the brunt of the impact when the massive seal shattered, spitting out a mouthful of blood as his face instantly turned ashen. His eyes, too, were filled with disbelief, and he stared at Zhou Yuan as if he had seen a ghost.

In fact, Liang Zheng had never underestimated Zhou Yuan; otherwise, he wouldn't have secretly brought two additional experts from his clan as backup. But after clashing, he realized his preparations had been utterly insufficient! This Zhou Yuan, who had made a considerable name for himself in the Ancient Origin Heaven, was far more formidable than he had imagined.

"A Great Yuan Infant stage practitioner with over a hundred billion Origin Qi reserves," Liang Zheng muttered, a bitter taste in his mouth. To be honest, this level of reserves was something many peak Yuan Infant practitioners couldn't even achieve, yet it had appeared in Zhou Yuan, who was only in the Great Yuan Infant stage.

Liang Zheng's Origin Qi was depleted, and he immediately withdrew his greedy gaze from the Ancestral Soul Fruits behind him, turning tail and fleeing without a second glance. He didn't even bother to utter a single threat. His two White Jade Elephant companions had vanished the moment the massive seal shattered. They clearly understood they had run into a formidable opponent.

Liang Zheng's sudden escape caused the seventh-grade experts besieging the Golden Gluttonous Race to change their expressions dramatically and curse loudly. However, even as they cursed, they dared not linger. Each displayed their unique abilities, and in a flash, they all vanished without a trace. This included the numerous experts who were still trying to hold back Tun Tun. After all, they weren't fools. They had been persuaded by Liang Zheng earlier primarily because he claimed he could capture Zhou Yuan as a hostage, which had sounded plausible enough for them to join him. But from the current situation, it was clear Liang Zheng's plan had been utterly crushed. If that was the case, staying any longer would be suicidal. So, within a few breaths, nearly a hundred figures scattered like startled birds.

Jin Zhong and the others, breathing heavily, materialized into human forms. Their faces showed excitement and agitation, and a deep reverence surfaced in their gazes towards Zhou Yuan. They had never had a clear understanding of Zhou Yuan's true strength; his previous sparring match with Jin Lan in the Golden Gluttonous Race had been brief and inconclusive, making it hard to gauge his real power. But the Origin Qi reserves Zhou Yuan had displayed by shattering the massive seal with one punch were undeniably real. Over a hundred billion Origin Qi reserves was absolutely enough to directly contend with Jin Lan.

Meanwhile, in other battle zones, eyes were also fixed on the outcome here. Jiang Hongying's spear was like a long rainbow, tearing a bloody hole in the chest of a thousand-zhang colossal beast and then sending it flying with a palm strike. She, too, had witnessed the massive seal shattering, and her eyes narrowed slightly. The power of Zhou Yuan's punch made even her feel a certain level of threat. Reserves of over a hundred billion were not inferior to hers.

"I underestimated this guy," Jiang Hongying scoffed inwardly. She then withdrew her gaze, her narrow eyes glinting with a murderous aura as she looked at the lingering opponents before her. Immediately, a dragon's roar echoed, and terrifying Origin Qi erupted like a storm. Her spear whistled, revealing streaks of overbearing dragon claw light within, directly engulfing the numerous attacking Origin Beast experts.

While Jiang Hongying was demonstrating her formidable power, Zhou Yuan's side had already cleared the area, and no one dared to step into this region again. Tun Tun landed back on Zhou Yuan's head, with traces of blood on its claws, which it nonchalantly wiped clean on Zhou Yuan's hair.

Zhou Yuan, however, didn't notice Tun Tun's little actions. Instead, he flashed directly into the shade of the Ancestral Soul Tree. With a flicker of divine soul power from his glabella, the five luminous clusters hanging there were severed and then enveloped by his divine soul power. Ancestral Soul Fruits cannot be touched by physical objects; even covering them with Origin Qi would gradually diminish their wondrous effects. Only by using divine soul power to isolate them can their properties be preserved.

Five Ancestral Soul Fruits floated before Zhou Yuan. These fruits had a translucent quality, making them almost unnoticeable if one didn't look closely. But the faint, exotic fragrance emanating from them caused the divine soul in Zhou Yuan's glabella to vibrate intensely. It was an immense longing.

However, Zhou Yuan didn't immediately consume all of them; after all, some distribution was necessary. He glanced at Jin Zhong and the others, then flicked his finger, sending two Ancestral Soul Fruits floating over. "You can refine these two Ancestral Soul Fruits together," he said.

Jin Zhong and the others beamed with joy, quickly saying, "Thank you, Elder Zhou Yuan." Out of five Ancestral Soul Fruits, Zhou Yuan was willing to give them two, which was already generous. However, Jin Zhong knew well that their reward was primarily due to their courageous stand on the circular stone platform. However, judging from the strength Zhou Yuan had displayed earlier, even if they hadn't stepped forward, Jiang Hongying probably wouldn't have been able to defeat him. So, one could only say that his fleeting thought had earned them this opportunity.

Zhou Yuan waved his hand. He looked at the three Ancestral Soul Fruits before him and suddenly asked, "What was that opportunity you mentioned earlier about ten Ancestral Soul Fruits?"

Tun Tun yawned. Its thoughts transformed into words, bouncing playfully into Zhou Yuan's mind: "The opportunity of the Ancestral Soul Tree isn't just in the fruits it bears; the tree itself contains immense wonders. Inside it, there's a naturally formed space. That's where the essence of the Ancestral Soul Tree lies. You can call it the 'Ancestral Soul Spirit Pool'. If you can enter it, not only will your divine soul be strengthened, but even your physical body and Origin Qi will undergo a baptism. The ultimate benefits are far beyond what ten Ancestral Soul Fruits can offer."

A glint flashed in Zhou Yuan's eyes. "The Ancestral Soul Tree has such a secret?" he mused.

"Of course," Tun Tun's thoughts continued. "But don't think that anyone who gets ten Ancestral Soul Fruits can open this opportunity. It requires a secret method, and only those with the bloodline of an Innate Sacred Beast can perform it. Why do you think Jin Lan was so stubbornly insistent on teaming up with me, like a stray dog? This is one of the reasons. Hmph, so you should know that following me has brought you a great fortune."

The words formed by Tun Tun's thoughts danced in Zhou Yuan's mind, leaving him somewhat dumbfounded. At the same time, he could sense the strong smugness in Tun Tun's words.

"It's actually so troublesome," Zhou Yuan murmured. He was a little dazed. No wonder Jin Lan resented him for taking this spot; so this was the real reason. But it had to be said, the "Ancestral Soul Spirit Pool" Tun Tun mentioned greatly piqued his interest. However, ten Ancestral Soul Fruits would be truly difficult to obtain. Currently, they only had five fruits in total. Where would they get the other five? Neither the Profound Dragon Clan nor the Divine Tiger Clan would be easy to deal with.

Zhou Yuan frowned deeply, but ultimately, he suppressed his thoughts. While the opportunity was rare, if there truly was no chance, he could only endure it. There was no need to make enemies everywhere because of it; after all, he still believed in being amiable. Some people always said he liked to strike with an iron fist, but that was truly a slander.

And just as Zhou Yuan was conversing with Tun Tun, the battle under the Ancestral Soul Tree was gradually coming to an end. The Profound Dragon Clan and the Divine Tiger Clan, after a fierce battle, had, as expected, repelled all the besiegers. After all, although the opponents had a numerical advantage, they were all harboring their own agendas and couldn't truly unite. So, once their initial fierce assault was blocked, their morale began to wane, and defeat was only a matter of time.

Under the Ancestral Soul Tree, the pungent smell of blood hung heavy in the air. After a fierce battle, only three factions remained standing. The other experts from various clans had all retreated, no longer daring to get involved. However, compared to the relatively relaxed Profound Dragon Clan, the Divine Tiger Clan's situation was a bit more dire; aside from Meng Chong, everyone else had sustained some injuries.

Jiang Hongying and Meng Chong, after repelling the enemies, immediately harvested the Ancestral Soul Fruits. Jiang Hongying gazed at the seven Ancestral Soul Fruits she had obtained, her eyes slightly burning with desire. However, she was not easily satisfied. Her gaze swept towards Zhou Yuan's side, then she turned her head and said something to Jiang Ba.

"Is there a need to create new trouble?" Jiang Ba asked slowly after listening.

"Don't you trust me?" Jiang Hongying's eyebrows arched in a proud curve.

Jiang Ba gave her a helpless look. He knew full well that Jiang Hongying couldn't swallow her pride, but he also knew her temperament: if he didn't let her try, she wouldn't be content throughout their journey. So he briefly assessed the situation. Although the power Zhou Yuan had displayed earlier was impressive, if he were to face Jiang Hongying, the latter's chances of victory would likely be greater.

"Very well, have it your way." Jiang Ba finally nodded. In truth, he also harbored some disdain for Zhou Yuan. After all, this Dragon Spirit Cavern was an opportunity meant for his Myriad Beast Heaven. Why would a human come here to join the fun for no reason? Did he truly think there was no one capable in Myriad Beast Heaven? If Jiang Hongying could truly subdue him, it would be a good thing. Moreover, Zhou Yuan's reputation was currently immense, and suppressing him would benefit the Profound Dragon Clan's prestige.

Seeing this, a satisfied smile immediately appeared on Jiang Hongying's face. She wasted no time, and with a flicker of her figure, she appeared before them, under the wary gazes of Jin Zhong and the others. Jiang Hongying ignored them. She merely slowly raised her long spear, pointing it at Zhou Yuan.

"Zhou Yuan, do you dare to play a game?" she challenged.