Chapter 1389: Old Friends Gather

"Zhou Yuan?!"

Luluo, Zuoqiu Qingyu, and the others stared in stunned silence at the tall, slender figure who had appeared out of thin air before them. But in the next moment, their astonishment was replaced by overwhelming joy.

"Zhou Yuan, you really are back!" Luluo cheered, excitedly tugging at Zhou Yuan's sleeve. "I knew it, you wouldn't miss this!"

Zhou Yuan smiled gently, his gaze sweeping over his old friends. Several years had passed since their last parting in Guyuantian. In that time, Zuoqiu Qingyu and the others had clearly made significant progress in their strength. Among the five, Luluo, Zhen Xu, and two others had all reached the peak of the Genesis Infant stage, while the strongest, Li Chunjun, had even attained the quasi-Law Domain realm. Such speed, among their peers in the Cangxuan Heaven, was undoubtedly among the very best.

Moreover, their demeanors had become sharper. Even the most innocent and carefree Luluo seemed to have matured considerably. Zhou Yuan understood that this was likely due to their involvement in numerous conflicts and battles. After all, in recent years, the conflict between the Sacred Palace and the various factions in Cangxuan Heaven had intensified due to the fragments of the Cangxuan Saint Stamp, leading to constant outbreaks of war. As these friends were considered high-ranking members within their respective sects, they naturally could not avoid these battles and struggles. Having experienced much between life and death, their temperaments had naturally changed significantly. Unknowingly, these young companions who had left the vast continent years ago had now become indispensable figures within their respective sects.

"I heard you killed Pang Yang, the Hall Master of the Golden Saint Hall of the Sacred Palace, in Great Zhou City?" Li Chunjun asked in a hoarse voice.

Zhou Yuan nodded with a smile. "That fellow ran wild in my Great Zhou City and even threatened to slaughter its residents. Not killing him would have been an injustice to everyone there."

For a moment, everyone was speechless. They were no strangers to Pang Yang; they had even fought him before, but they were clearly the ones who suffered losses. Yet, in Zhou Yuan's words, his death was described with such casualness, like killing a chicken. Clearly, after not seeing him for several years, Zhou Yuan had now reached an astonishingly formidable realm.

"The third stage of the Law Domain?" Li Chunjun asked again.

Zhou Yuan waved a hand, saying modestly, "Thanks to the high regard of my friends across the heavens, they now say I am the strongest below the Saints of All-Heavens."

The others exchanged glances. Luluo pouted slightly. "Zhou Yuan, you sound so punchable right now." At her words, the others couldn't help but chuckle, and even the usually somber Zhen Xu’s lips twitched into a slight smile.

"I also heard about what happened to the Heavenly Ghost Mansion," Zhou Yuan said, turning to Zhen Xu with a sigh.

Zhen Xu replied in a low voice, "Actually, the Mansion Master brought this end upon himself. He always harbored a glimmer of hope towards the Sacred Palace and wasn't fully committed to the alliance of the other four sects against it. It was precisely this illusion that gave the Sacred Palace an opportunity. Now, the Heavenly Ghost Mansion has paid the price for his delusions. Since I am a member of the Heavenly Ghost Mansion, I've spent these years trying my best to gather its remnants... We are all solitary ghosts, with only one thought: revenge. But the Sacred Palace is too strong. Over the years, our fellow disciples have grown fewer and fewer." As he spoke, a hint of weariness appeared on Zhen Xu's face.

Zhou Yuan was silent for a moment, then patted Zhen Xu's shoulder. "Revenge is definitely necessary, but throwing yourselves to your deaths like moths to a flame is not advisable. Dealing with the Sacred Palace is a collective effort for all the forces in Cangxuan Heaven. My return this time is to settle scores with Sheng Yuan. If I ultimately win, the Sacred Palace will naturally be destroyed, and then the Heavenly Ghost Mansion will have a chance to be rebuilt."

Zhen Xu stared at Zhou Yuan blankly, a glimmer of hope emerging in his dim eyes. "You... can you defeat Sheng Yuan?" Palace Master Sheng Yuan is a semi-Saint, the strongest in all of Cangxuan Heaven. With no true Saints currently descended, Sheng Yuan is practically invincible. This is common knowledge throughout Cangxuan Heaven.

Zhou Yuan met his gaze and smiled. "As long as he hasn't truly become a Saint, there's a chance. And even if he does become a Saint, I will drag him down from the clouds and into the mud. Because this Cangxuan Heaven has the Great Zhou Dynasty, the Cangxuan Sect, and you, my friends. Even if it costs me my life, I will not let him destroy this place." Zhou Yuan wore a smile, but his deep eyes surged with a cold resolve.

Zuoqiu Qingyu cupped her charming, fair-skinned face in her small hands, her beautiful eyes sparkling as she gazed at Zhou Yuan. "Zhou Yuan, in my heart, you're starting to be one percent as handsome as Yaoyao."

Zhou Yuan's face darkened, and he glared at Zuoqiu Qingyu. That mischievous woman was still thinking about his wife.

As they were talking, a bell suddenly chimed from the main peak. Hearing the bell, Zhou Yuan said, "It seems the Sect Masters of the other Saint Sects have arrived. I'll go meet them first. Oh, and after I finish my discussion with the Sect Masters, we might launch a joint punitive expedition against the Sacred Palace. When that happens, a war that sweeps across all of Cangxuan Heaven is inevitable." With a flick of his sleeve, several streams of light flew out, shooting straight towards Zuoqiu Qingyu, Luluo, and the others. "These are small gifts for you. Find a way to refine and absorb them as soon as possible, in preparation for the great war." As his voice faded, Zhou Yuan's figure vanished.

Zuoqiu Qingyu and the others quickly caught the glowing objects. They looked closer to see jade bottles, inside which perfectly round, dragon-eye-like spirit pills floated quietly, surrounded by halos of light resembling star rings.

"This is... Ancestral Dragon Pills?!" They exchanged glances, their hearts trembling. They had, of course, heard of these renowned spirit pills that echoed throughout the heavens, but had never had the chance to see them. They never expected Zhou Yuan to give each of them one.

"This scene feels a bit like a wealthy young master returning to his hometown and casually handing out lavish gifts to his poor relatives, shocking everyone around," Ning Zhan said with a wry smile.

The others nodded in agreement.

"So, are we keeping them?" Luluo licked her pink lips, her gaze fixed on the Ancestral Dragon Pill in her hand.

Li Chunjun slowly said, "Take them. After all, the benefits we've gained from Zhou Yuan aren't lacking this much. If he ever needs anything in the future, we'll repay him with our lives." He was as straightforward as ever, like his sword's edge.

The other four also nodded. Indeed, with many debts, one doesn't worry; this small addition truly made no difference. What concerned them more was the punitive expedition Zhou Yuan had mentioned earlier... This made them somewhat excited. Although the four Saint Sects had been cooperating against the Sacred Palace over the years, in a sense, they were still fighting individually because their strengths were similar, making true unification difficult. Now, Zhou Yuan's return might bring about some changes to this situation.

As they grew excited about the potential changes, Zhou Yuan's figure had already appeared before the grand hall on the Cangxuan Sect's main peak. He stood with his hands behind his back, gazing nostalgically at the familiar surroundings. Finally, under the curious and fervent gazes of the surrounding Cangxuan Sect disciples, he walked directly into the hall.

As he entered, he immediately felt four authoritative gazes converge on him. Three of them carried a hint of scrutiny. Zhou Yuan looked up at the four Sect Masters who now represented the strongest sects in Cangxuan Heaven, and smiled, cupping his hands in greeting.

"Four Sect Masters, long time no see. I trust you're all well."