Chapter 1385: Enemies Meet

When Shen Taiyuan's sharp voice, tinged with horror, echoed from the city wall, chaos immediately erupted. Everyone scrambled back in disarray, their eyes wide with terror as they stared at the figure that had appeared high in the sky.

Over the years, this name had resonated through almost every corner of the Cangxuan Heaven. No matter how much people detested the Sacred Palace, hearing that name always evoked a genuine sense of fear.

This fear reached its peak after the Sacred Palace annihilated the Heavenly Ghost Mansion.

Although no one officially declared it, there would be no dissent if one claimed that the Sacred Yuan Palace Master was the strongest individual in Cangxuan Heaven.

His very existence was the reason the Sacred Palace had grown increasingly powerful over the years, to the point where he alone could suppress the other five great Sacred Sects.

The Saint Demon Army, which had previously almost annihilated their Great Zhou Dynasty, was merely a small detachment under his command.

Yet, no one had imagined that this figure, almost mythical and unreachable to most, would suddenly appear outside Great Zhou City at this moment...

The horror and dread he instilled far surpassed anything the Saint Demon Army had caused.

Otherwise, why would even someone like Shen Taiyuan lose his composure so completely?

While immense fear erupted on the city wall, Zhou Yuan calmly observed the appearing Sacred Yuan Palace Master. His expression showed little disturbance as he simply said, "Sacred Yuan Palace Master? It's been a long time."

The Sacred Yuan Palace Master, hovering in mid-air, ignored everyone else, fixing his gaze solely on Zhou Yuan. His eyes were as deep and mysterious as the starry sky, containing immense power.

"Zhou Yuan..." The Sacred Yuan Palace Master's voice, devoid of any emotion, drifted down from the void. "Only by seeing you in person can I truly believe that in just over ten years, the ant from back then could grow to this extent..."

"Speaking of which, I should thank you," Zhou Yuan chuckled.

If the Sacred Yuan Palace Master hadn't forced his hand back then, Zhou Yuan might never have left Cangxuan Heaven. Had he remained, Zhou Yuan believed he would have missed the tempering of numerous formidable enemies, making it impossible to reach his current level in just over a decade.

In a way, the Sacred Yuan Palace Master had inadvertently helped him achieve his current standing.

The Sacred Yuan Palace Master stared at Zhou Yuan, his voice ethereal and vast. "Your achievements are indeed significant now, but do you truly believe your current self can change anything?"

His eyes held a hint of pity, and his voice, like thunder, resonated through the heavens and earth, silencing all things. "Zhou Yuan, you shouldn't have come back. Hidden among the All-Heavens, you could have continued to enjoy your glory as the strongest below a Saint. Returning now is merely seeking death."

Zhou Yuan grinned. "Over the years, I've met many Saints, even ancient venerable ones, but none of them matched your airs and bravado, you half-baked Pseudo-Saint."

"If it weren't for your master pulling strings behind you, do you really think a grasshopper like you could hop around for long? Any Saint from the Omega Shrine could obliterate you."

A faint chill rose in the Sacred Yuan Palace Master's eyes, and the entire world began to grow cold. In that instant, the weather transitioned from scorching summer to harsh winter.

An inexplicable, immense power enveloped the heavens and earth.

Zhou Yuan's eyes narrowed slightly. In the decade or so since they last met, the Sacred Yuan Palace Master's strength seemed to have advanced as well. However, in Zhou Yuan's perception, the latter had still not truly become a Saint.

That step felt like an impenetrable barrier; as long as he wasn't a true Saint, Zhou Yuan had nothing to fear!

Zhou Yuan stepped forward, and his Sacred Dragon Law Domain surged forth. An ancient dragon roar echoed through the heavens and earth, and where the Law Domain spread, the biting cold gradually receded.

"Sacred Yuan, old dog, your true body isn't even here; it's just an avatar, and you think you can show off? Do you really think it's still a decade ago?!" Zhou Yuan looked up, his eyes sharp and cold. Behind him, a massive, ancient dragon shadow slowly emerged, unleashing an earth-shattering dragon roar that made the heavens and earth tremble.

Sacred Yuan's gaze lingered on the colossal Sacred Dragon behind Zhou Yuan. His eyes seemed to narrow slightly. Although he was currently just an avatar, his power far surpassed that of an ordinary Law Domain's third stage. Yet, even so, he couldn't exert the slightest pressure on Zhou Yuan.

This indicated that Zhou Yuan's reputation as the strongest below a Saint, earned through his ventures in the All-Heavens, held some truth.

However, Sacred Yuan had no worries, because "below a Saint" did not include him, a Pseudo-Saint. Although he still hadn't fully ascended to Sainthood in the past decade or so, he undoubtedly possessed some Saintly might.

He was infinitely close to that step...

Once the opportunity arose, taking that step would be a natural progression.

With Cangxuan Heaven now sealed, preventing external Saints from entering, he had ample opportunity and power to unify Cangxuan Heaven. Then, upon completing the task assigned by the Saint God, he could shed his mortal form and fully ascend to the lineage of the Saint Race!

"On your person, there's a fluctuation of the Cangxuan Saint Seal, oh, and four Saint Runes... No wonder I've always sensed a missing part of the Cangxuan Saint Seal these past years; it seems you took it out."

The Sacred Yuan Palace Master's profound gaze swept over Zhou Yuan, then he smiled. "This is what I came to confirm. Now it seems my trip was not in vain."

Zhou Yuan said earnestly, "I should also thank you for diligently collecting the Cangxuan Saint Seal fragments for over a decade. It saves me the trouble of having to search for them later."

The Sacred Yuan Palace Master sighed, "To think the ant from back then now dares to speak to me this way. It truly is... laughable."

The two stood opposed, their words imbued with immense power, as if their pronouncements could manifest reality. Lightning flashed and thunder roared across the heavens and earth, accompanying their verbal confrontation, making it seem like the end of the world.

Countless people trembled at this sight. Even Law Domain experts like Xi Jing, Wu Yao, and Su Youwei, who had come as reinforcements, wore grave expressions. They could feel the oppressive power emanating from the Sacred Yuan Palace Master; even as an avatar, he was still more powerful than any of them.

Though Cangxuan Heaven was small and tumultuous, it still harbored peak powerhouses not to be underestimated.

"Zhou Yuan, I will advise you one last time: if you're smart, hand over the Saint Runes and fragments, and I will allow you and your family to leave Cangxuan Heaven."

He stared at Zhou Yuan, his eyes dark, cold, and deep, an indifferent, emotionless voice echoing around them.

"This is your last chance."

Zhou Yuan sensed the chilling killing intent in the Sacred Yuan Palace Master's words, shook his head, and without further ado, flicked his finger.

Behind him, the Sacred Dragon roared. In the next instant, purple-gold dragon breath surged forth, carrying destructive power, directly shattering the void and engulfing the Sacred Yuan Palace Master's avatar.

Under the purple-gold dragon breath, the void evaporated, and the Sacred Yuan Palace Master's avatar, without much resistance, gradually dissolved within it...

Zhou Yuan stared at the Sacred Yuan Palace Master's gradually fading figure.

"That's my answer, Sacred Yuan, old dog. You've been causing trouble in Cangxuan Heaven for years, and others couldn't deal with you... I will!"

"Wait in your Sacred Palace stronghold. I'll come to settle the old scores."

His calm voice echoed through the heavens and earth.

The Sacred Yuan Palace Master's figure dissipated like a fleeting bubble, yet the look he cast at Zhou Yuan was filled with mockery and indifference.

Before he completely vanished, a faint voice pierced through the void.

"I'll be waiting for you to come to your death."