Chapter 338: Mystical Flood Dragon Scales

On the stone platform, Zhou Yuan and Wei Youxuan stood facing each other. Their gazes were as cold as knife blades, subtly exuding a chilling, heart-pounding aura.

Around the cliffs, many eyes were fixed intently on the two figures.

Today's cave trial had certainly been full of twists and turns. Initially, everyone thought that Shen Taiyuan's faction would be completely decimated by Wei Youxuan alone, losing all face. However, no one expected Zhou Yuan, who had not been given much hope from the start, to step forward at the last moment. He then turned the tables on his opponents, single-handedly defeating the two participants who had come out to challenge him, completely crushing them.

Finally, only one person remained on each side.

"This Zhou Yuan is truly remarkable. If he can genuinely defeat Wei Youxuan today, he will undoubtedly become a household name in the Cangxuan Sect."

"With the strength of the Third Layer of the Alpha Origin Stage, he effortlessly defeated two Fifth Layer practitioners. Such a foundation is truly unimaginable."

"However, Wei Youxuan is no pushover either. His strength is formidable; he's a genuine Sixth Layer practitioner. This level of power allows him to contend with even some ordinary purple-sash disciples. Zhou Yuan managed to defeat Feng Yu and the other, but gaining an advantage against Wei Youxuan won't be easy."

"Indeed, Wei Youxuan is incomparable to the previous two opponents."

"Heh, it seems a fierce battle is inevitable today. Witnessing such an intense fight makes this trip worthwhile."

Many spectating disciples whispered amongst themselves. The two individuals in the arena, one like a tiger and the other like a lion, were both incredibly formidable. Facing two equally strong opponents, no one could predict who would prove superior; everything would only be known after they clashed.

On the cliff, around the stone pavilions where Shen Taiyuan and Lu Hong were situated, their disciples watched the arena with immense tension.

Earlier, Lu Hong's disciples had been full of confidence, clearly believing that today's cave trial was entirely within their grasp. Now, however, that notion had been utterly shattered by Zhou Yuan.

Even though they still had immense confidence in Wei Youxuan, they dared not make any casual mocking remarks before the outcome was clear, lest an unexpected turn of events lead to their own humiliation and loss of face.

Lu Hong's face was the most somber, as his plan to completely suppress Shen Taiyuan's faction today had fallen through.

Behind him, Lu Xuanyin's pretty face was also clouded with uncertainty. Looking at Lu Hong's grim expression, she could only say, "Uncle Hong, don't worry. That boy surely won't be a match for Senior Brother Wei Youxuan."

Lu Hong nodded with a grim expression. For now, he could only hope that Wei Youxuan would properly teach that presumptuous boy a lesson.

"I initially thought you were just here to make up the numbers," Wei Youxuan said emotionlessly, looking at Zhou Yuan from the stone platform, "but it turns out you're the strongest among them."

"However, haven't you had enough of the spotlight?"

As his last word fell, Wei Youxuan's gaze suddenly became extremely sharp.

The next moment, a powerful surge of Genesis Qi burst forth from his body, emitting an overwhelming pressure that caused the stone slabs beneath his feet to crack continuously.

On the surrounding cliffs, some spectating disciples' expressions subtly changed, clearly sensing the immense power of the Genesis Qi pressure.

Sixth Layer!

Genesis Qi roared around Wei Youxuan, its oppressive aura strong enough to make many Fifth Layer disciples feel immense pressure.

Sensing the Genesis Qi pressure around Wei Youxuan, Zhou Yuan's eyes narrowed slightly. As expected of a Sixth Layer practitioner, his Genesis Qi was incomparably stronger than that of Feng Yu and Cheng Ying.

This Wei Youxuan was indeed no ordinary opponent.

Zhou Yuan's eyes lowered slightly. Inside his Qi Dwelling, over seven hundred Genesis Qi stars vibrated, and streams of pure Genesis Qi flowed out, finally permeating his entire body.

Golden Genesis Qi, like a colossal beam of light hundreds of feet tall, suddenly shot up from the crown of his head.

Strands of golden light Genesis Qi continuously descended, shielding Zhou Yuan's body within them.

And the Genesis Qi pressure from Wei Youxuan was completely isolated at this moment.

Their gazes clashed in mid-air. At that instant, it was as if heaven and earth had erupted, and both their eyes became as sharp as blades.

Genesis Qi surged, vibrating the surrounding space.

Wei Youxuan's figure shot out first, moving like a flash of lightning. At the same time, he abruptly clasped his hands together as if embracing the sun and moon, and ferocious Genesis Qi rapidly converged in his palms.

Directly, a wildly powerful Genesis Qi orb formed.

He flicked his palm, and the Genesis Qi orb shot directly towards Zhou Yuan, its violent fluctuations causing the space around it to ripple slightly.

"I'd like to see just how deep your Genesis Qi foundation is, you Third Layer practitioner!" Wei Youxuan shouted coldly. His attack was purely based on his Sixth Layer Genesis Qi, intending to crush Zhou Yuan's momentum.

Previously, Zhou Yuan had also relied on his abundant Genesis Qi to directly overwhelm Feng Yu and the other opponent.

Clearly, Wei Youxuan intended to defeat him in the same manner.

The Genesis Qi orb rapidly expanded in his vision. Feeling the oppressive force rushing towards him, Zhou Yuan's eyes narrowed slightly. He stomped his foot violently, and the ground cracked.

Above his head, the golden light Genesis Qi, hundreds of feet in length, split into a single golden Genesis Qi beam that whistled forth like a golden rainbow, resembling a python or a flood dragon.

The golden Genesis Qi ribbon directly collided fiercely with the Genesis Qi orb.

At the moment of impact, violent Genesis Qi shockwaves ravaged the area, tearing cracks into the surrounding mountain walls.

Zhou Yuan and Wei Youxuan were both within the impact zone, yet their figures remained completely still, unyielding to the rampant shockwaves.

They stood like two towering mountains amidst a raging storm.

A hint of surprise flickered in Wei Youxuan's eyes. In the previous clash of Genesis Qi, Zhou Yuan had not been at a disadvantage in the slightest, meaning the latter's Genesis Qi foundation was no weaker than his own, despite him being a Sixth Layer practitioner.

"This cave trial finally holds some interest for me..." Wei Youxuan muttered to himself.

"Phantom Shadow Step!"

Genesis Qi circulated beneath Wei Youxuan's feet. The next moment, his figure suddenly shot out, gliding across the ground like a shadow, moving at a speed imperceptible to the naked eye.

Zhou Yuan's body also blurred at this moment, retreating like a wisp of smoke.

However, Wei Youxuan's figure became exceedingly elusive. Like a shadow, he performed an uncanny turn and, amidst countless exclamations, appeared directly in front of Zhou Yuan.

They were mere feet apart.

A smirk appeared at the corner of Wei Youxuan's mouth.

Light patterns emerged on his palm, spreading across his hand. His entire hand began to glow with an unusual light, and an indescribable sharpness emanated from it.

"Genesis Breaker Hand, Shattering Finger!"

He bent two fingers together. Genesis Qi compressed intensely onto these fingers, and wherever his fingertips passed, space itself was torn, creating a rift.

It was extremely sharp, with murderous intent.

It was with this very move that Wei Youxuan had effortlessly pierced through Tong Long's palm earlier.

The light from the fingers rapidly expanded in Zhou Yuan's pupils. His gaze flickered slightly. The next instant, he clenched his hand into a fist, and Genesis Qi covered it layer by layer, forming what looked like an armored gauntlet of light.

"Boom!"

Zhou Yuan threw a punch, and as his fist shot out, the air in front of him completely exploded.

Fist and finger violently collided.

Seeing this, many on the surrounding cliffs couldn't help but cover their eyes, shaking their heads repeatedly. Had Zhou Yuan forgotten that Wei Youxuan's Genesis Breaker Hand specialized in piercing through defensive Genesis Qi?

Tong Long had previously been defeated by this very move, and now Wei Youxuan's attack was clearly even more ferocious than before.

Yet Zhou Yuan, on the other hand, dared to meet it with his bare fist—truly somewhat foolish.

"He's asking for death!" Lu Xuanyin gritted her teeth and sneered as she watched the scene.

Under the gaze of countless eyes, the fist and fingers collided heavily the next instant.

A sneer slowly formed on Wei Youxuan's lips.

However, the smirk had barely appeared when it suddenly froze the next moment.

His finger light had indeed easily torn through the layers of Genesis Qi covering Zhou Yuan's fist. But just as it was about to penetrate the flesh of his fist, a faint green light suddenly appeared on the surface of Zhou Yuan's skin.

And the moment Wei Youxuan's finger light touched that faint green glow, a terrifying, mountain-shattering force surged forth like a tidal wave.

*Crack!*

A sound of something breaking seemed to echo, and intense pain shot from Wei Youxuan's fingertips, causing his expression to suddenly change.

Violent ripples spread outwards. Under the incredulous gazes, Wei Youxuan's body shuddered. He scraped his feet backward across the ground, sliding out and leaving a deep impression.

Wei Youxuan stomped his foot, cracking the ground, and forcibly steadied himself.

With a grim expression, he lowered his head, only to see his two fingers bleeding profusely, their bones somewhat fractured.

In that direct confrontation, he had actually suffered a major loss!

He abruptly looked up, staring intently at Zhou Yuan.

Zhou Yuan extended his fist and smiled faintly. On its surface, a faint green light pulsed, as if forming a layer of pale green scales that shimmered, appearing remarkably mystical.

It was precisely the Mysterious Flood Dragon Scales, transformed from Mysterious Python Scales after being refined by Origin Marrow!

"My apologies," Zhou Yuan said with a light chuckle, "my fist is harder than you might imagine. Your Genesis Breaker Hand probably can't break it."

At this moment, the many disciples on the surrounding cliffs finally widened their eyes, and an astonishing uproar erupted.

Who could have imagined that in such a fierce confrontation, Zhou Yuan would actually gain the upper hand first!

Wei Youxuan's Genesis Breaker Hand had actually been countered by Zhou Yuan!

In the stone pavilion, even Lu Xuanyin slumped onto the stone bench, her pretty face ashen.