Chapter 335: Down

"Wei Youxuan truly lives up to his reputation as Elder Lu Hong's strongest gold-belt disciple. I can't believe he's already reached the sixth layer of the Alpha Origin Stage without anyone noticing..."

"With this strength, he's qualified to participate in the purple-belt selection. If he succeeds, he'll shed his gold belt and become a true purple-belt disciple."

"Impressive! No wonder he's so arrogant; he really does have the skills."

"Now, Elder Shen Taiyuan's lineage is completely out of luck. Tong Long and Pan Song were their top two gold-belt disciples, and now even both of them have lost..."

"Heh, what's the rush? Don't they still have a genius disciple who's said to be comparable to Senior Brother Chu Qing in the future? Maybe he can turn the tide."

"Pfft..."

Whispers constantly rose from all directions, but most of them expressed shock at the strength Wei Youxuan displayed. After all, reaching the sixth layer of the Alpha Origin Stage made him a true elite among the many disciples of the Cangxuan Sect.

Around the stone pavilion where Shen Taiyuan sat, silence reigned. He sat inside, expressionless, but his withered hand on the table clenched involuntarily.

Beside him, Zhou Tai, Zhang Yan, and the other purple-belt disciples wore grim expressions, glaring intently at the formidable Wei Youxuan in the arena, wishing they could directly step in and deal with him.

However, this was a Cave Trial with its own rules; no one could interfere except for the combatants.

But today, if Wei Youxuan was allowed to defeat all three of their lineage's combatants alone, it would be a significant blow to their lineage's reputation.

They could already imagine the amount of ridicule they would face afterward.

In stark contrast to their somber atmosphere, Elder Lu Hong's lineage erupted in continuous cheers, and his disciples constantly cast mocking glances their way.

Lu Hong sat in his stone pavilion, smiling broadly as he held his teacup.

"Senior Brother Wei Youxuan is indeed Uncle Hong's strongest gold-belt disciple. I suppose once he passes the purple-belt selection, he'll become a true purple-belt disciple." Behind Lu Hong, Lu Xuanyin chuckled, her pretty face radiating satisfaction.

At the same time, her playful and mocking gaze fell upon Zhou Yuan's figure in the arena. Tong Long and Pan Song had already been defeated; surely Zhou Yuan was completely flustered by now?

Although Zhou Yuan had taken first place in the Mountain Selection Ceremony, that only counted among the outer mountain disciples. Now that he was in the inner mountain, his meager abilities hardly qualified him for such arrogance.

"Just wait until Senior Brother Wei Youxuan takes care of you. Let's see how much face you'll have left then?" Lu Xuanyin felt utterly pleased, as if the month-long pent-up frustration she had held could finally be released.

In her opinion, since both Tong Long and Pan Song had fallen, Zhou Yuan likely wouldn't even be qualified to face Wei Youxuan next.

And her purpose for coming today had been achieved.

"This time, old man Shen has been played again," Lu Song sighed, looking ahead.

Clearly, Wei Youxuan hadn't just reached the sixth layer of the Alpha Origin Stage recently. Lu Hong had deliberately kept his true strength hidden so that he wouldn't participate in the purple-belt selection for now, allowing him to continue taking part in these Cave Trials as a gold-belt disciple.

This way, with a sixth-layer strength against gold-belt disciples who were mostly at the fifth layer, Lu Hong naturally couldn't lose.

Lu Yan, standing nearby, also frowned. With even Tong Long and Pan Song defeated, the outcome of this Cave Trial was already quite clear.

She glanced at Zhou Yuan's figure, pouted her red lips, and said, "It's all this guy's fault for causing such a commotion in the Genesis Pond. Now, this Cave Trial has drawn so many disciples from other peaks to watch. When today's results spread, Elder Shen's lineage will truly lose all face."

In the past, only disciples from their Saint Genesis Peak would gather for Cave Trials, and the results wouldn't spread to other peaks. But today was different; with so many disciples from other peaks present, the news couldn't be stopped.

Lu Song sighed inwardly, waved his hand, and leaned back weakly in his chair. The outcome was already decided. It seemed that after today, Lu Hong would become even more arrogant in his dealings within Saint Genesis Peak.

Amidst countless varied gazes, Wei Youxuan on the stone platform smiled and looked up, his eyes directly finding Zhou Yuan's direction. "Junior Brother Zhou Yuan, it's your turn," he said gently.

"How about you challenge me directly? That way, we won't waste any time, what do you say?"

According to the Cave Trial rules, a participant can initiate two challenges. Even if they win both, the opponent chooses the combatant for the third match. This rule was designed to prevent one person from defeating all three opponents and completely humiliating them.

Therefore, after Wei Youxuan won two consecutive matches, it was up to Zhou Yuan to choose his opponent for the third.

When Wei Youxuan's words fell, laughter erupted from the surrounding cliffs, especially loud from the disciples who had come to witness Zhou Yuan's predicament.

Zhou Yuan's face showed little anger towards the surrounding laughter. His initial surprise at Wei Youxuan gradually subsided. He looked up towards the cliff where Elder Shen Taiyuan's lineage was gathered.

At that moment, the disciples there looked dejected, and the atmosphere was subdued. Even Shen Taiyuan, inside the stone pavilion, was expressionless. Clearly, the defeat of Tong Long and Pan Song was a considerable blow to everyone in their lineage.

Moreover, they didn't believe they had any chance of turning the tide in this Cave Trial.

Zhou Yuan smiled helplessly, then moved, landing on the stone platform. He looked at the smiling Wei Youxuan and said earnestly, "Senior Brother Wei, you've fought two matches in a row; your Genesis Qi consumption must be significant. How about you rest for two matches first? I don't want to take advantage of you."

As soon as he spoke, not only was Wei Youxuan stunned, but the many disciples on the surrounding cliffs also burst into laughter.

"Is this kid scared silly? He says he doesn't want to take advantage of Wei Youxuan?" Beside Lu Xuanyin, the red-haired young man named Xu Yan couldn't help but laugh out loud.

Lu Xuanyin also sneered, "Grandstanding."

The disciples of Shen Taiyuan's lineage exchanged glances, feeling embarrassed. Zhou Yuan's stubbornness was indeed a bit disgraceful...

"Hmph, this guy is performing so poorly. To compare him to Senior Brother Chu Qing like this is an insult to him!" Lu Yan couldn't help but frown, showing disdain.

On the stone platform, Wei Youxuan's astonishment lingered for a moment, then he smiled, his eyes narrowing slightly. "Are you serious?"

Tong Long had said something similar earlier, but ended up lying defeated. Now Zhou Yuan dared to say such a thing to him? Was this guy truly scared out of his wits?

Zhou Yuan ignored Wei Youxuan, looking directly at Feng Yu and Cheng Ying who stood on the opposite stone platform. He casually pointed at one of them and said, "You."

The person he pointed at was Feng Yu.

Seeing this, Feng Yu shrugged with a smile and said to Wei Youxuan, "Senior Brother Wei, I'm really sorry, but it seems I can't let you hog all the limelight."

Wei Youxuan chuckled, seeming a little helpless. "Never mind, I'll leave him to you. With an opponent like this, even if I win, I'd worry about getting my hands dirty."

Clearly, he thought Zhou Yuan was utterly terrified.

He waved his hand and turned to leave.

Feng Yu, meanwhile, floated down gracefully, landing opposite Zhou Yuan.

"Junior Brother Zhou Yuan, do you think I'm the easiest one of the three to deal with?" Feng Yu stared at Zhou Yuan with a forced smile, the chill in his eyes indicating that he intended to give Zhou Yuan a thorough lesson this time.

Opposite him, Zhou Yuan raised an eyelid and glanced at Feng Yu, his gaze unmoving.

The next instant, a surge of violent golden Genesis Qi erupted like a giant golden python from the top of Zhou Yuan's head. Inside his Qi Dwelling, over seven hundred Genesis Qi stars simultaneously burst forth with light.

Rushing Genesis Qi filled his limbs and bones.

A terrifying power erupted.

Fierce Genesis Qi pressure swept out, and the ground beneath Zhou Yuan's feet instantly cracked and collapsed. His figure, meanwhile, blurred in that instant, shooting forward with afterimages appearing in his wake.

A sonic boom followed, echoing through the air.

His attack was swift, fierce, and without any hesitation.

In a brief moment, Zhou Yuan's blurred figure appeared before Feng Yu, who had just fully recovered his senses. With a furious roar, Genesis Qi also erupted from his body.

"You fool who doesn't know your place, you dare to attack first?!" Feng Yu's face darkened, and with a rush of Genesis Qi, he gathered it in his fist and struck out fiercely.

This punch, though devoid of any Genesis Art, concentrated a vast amount of Genesis Qi. Feng Yu was confident it could repel Tong Long, even.

Zhou Yuan also unleashed a punch, causing the air to explode beneath his fist.

Two fists, brimming with formidable Genesis Qi, met in a direct, unadorned, head-on collision.

"Boom!"

The moment of impact unleashed a violent shockwave, causing cracks to spread across the surrounding ground and a fierce wind to whip up.

However, Feng Yu's grim expression suddenly changed drastically at the moment of contact, because he felt that under Zhou Yuan's punch, the Genesis Qi was so violent and immense, like a mountain torrent, powerful enough to split mountains!

That level of ferocity far surpassed his own!

"Impossible!"

Feng Yu gasped in horror, his eyes wide with disbelief. He couldn't believe that Zhou Yuan, a third-layer Alpha Origin Stage cultivator, possessed Genesis Qi so much more abundant than his own, a fifth-layer elite!

After all, the Genesis Qi stars in his body numbered five hundred!

However, regardless of the turmoil in his heart, Zhou Yuan's Genesis Qi surged forward, instantly and overwhelmingly destroying all of Feng Yu's own Genesis Qi.

As his Genesis Qi shattered, Zhou Yuan's fist landed heavily on his chest.

Consequently, Feng Yu's body flew backward, crashing hard into the mountain wall, embedding himself within it. He was covered in blood, his condition unknown.

The exchange between the two had happened in a flash.

When Feng Yu's body was embedded in the mountain wall, the previous laughter from the surroundings had not yet completely died down...

Wei Youxuan's unhurried figure hadn't even moved beyond the stone platform.

But at that very moment.

The laughter abruptly ceased.

Wei Youxuan's steps, as he walked back, faltered and stopped.

On the cliff, faces gradually froze.

Under the setting sun, those faces looked somewhat comical.

On the stone platform, Zhou Yuan slowly retracted the fist he had thrown. His face remained completely still. He didn't even pay attention to the gazes on him; he simply looked at Cheng Ying, whose expression was equally frozen, and his calm, unwavering voice echoed through the cliffs.

"It's your turn. Come down."