Chapter 415: The Power of the Tianyuan Brush

Zhou Yuan stood quietly on the crimson mountain peak. Beside him, the dark, mottled Heavenly Yuan Brush floated silently, a faint glow circulating on its body, emitting a powerful yet subtle fluctuation. Zhou Yuan gazed at the Heavenly Yuan Brush with fervent excitement, clearly perceiving the immense transformation it had undergone compared to its previous state. Heavenly Origin Weapons and Profound Origin Weapons, though only a single character different in name, represented a world of difference in power.

He slowly opened his palm, and the Heavenly Yuan Brush rapidly shrunk, transforming into a beam of light that shot directly into Zhou Yuan's body, only to emerge from his other hand. After ascending to a Heavenly Origin Weapon, the Heavenly Yuan Brush no longer needed to be carried on Zhou Yuan's waist. Instead, it could be stored directly within his Qi Manor, where it could be continuously nourished by his internal Origin Qi. This would also elevate the connection between them to a new level. Furthermore, when Zhou Yuan grasped the Heavenly Yuan Brush, he could feel his combat power surge dramatically.

Currently, the Heavenly Yuan Brush was likely a low-grade Heavenly Origin Weapon. However, in terms of sheer power, Zhou Yuan felt that even an ordinary mid-grade Heavenly Origin Weapon might not be able to surpass it. After all, the Heavenly Yuan Brush had once been a Saint Origin Weapon.

"So, all this time, you wanted to use these beast soul crystals to help you advance to a Heavenly Origin Weapon!" Zuoqiu Qingyu remarked, approaching as the residual energy subsided, and rolled her eyes at Zhou Yuan. She had been worried about him, yet Zhou Yuan must have been overjoyed upon seeing the beast horde.

Zhou Yuan smiled, then narrowed his eyes and looked into the distance. "Since the beast horde has been dealt with, it's time to resolve some other troubles," he said. In fact, he had sensed Su Duan and the others approaching much earlier, as his Spirit perception far surpassed that of everyone else present. He knew that Su Duan was the one who had drawn the beast horde. Although Su Duan bringing the beast horde had inadvertently helped him greatly, Zhou Yuan was not one to passively endure others' schemes without retaliation. Since Su Duan had revealed his hostility, he was naturally an enemy.

"We've been discovered."

As Zhou Yuan's gaze swept into the distance, Su Duan and his companions, who had been hiding in that direction, also realized they had been spotted. The others exchanged nervous glances, then turned to Su Duan. Su Duan's gaze, tinged with greed, was fixed on the Heavenly Yuan Brush in Zhou Yuan's hand. He sneered, "So what if we've been discovered? A mere Fourth Layer Initial Realm cultivator dares to act so arrogantly in front of us?"

While Zhou Yuan's method of eradicating the beast horde had been startling, Su Duan and his companions' apprehension diminished once they understood the reason. After all, Zhou Yuan's technique might be effective against Origin Beasts with low intelligence, but it would have little effect on them.

"But he is, after all, a disciple of the Cangxuan Sect..." someone voiced their concern. "What if we provoke Li Qingchan and Zhao Zhu of the Cangxuan Sect? If they intervene, we'll be the ones in trouble."

"The Cangxuan Sect disciples are probably struggling to protect themselves right now," Su Duan scoffed. "Besides, this competition for the Blazing Marrow Vein is all about individual ability. If Zhou Yuan is defeated here, the Cangxuan Sect will likely be too embarrassed to bother us juniors. Instead, Zhou Yuan himself will undoubtedly face punishment upon his return."

"And without the threat of the Cangxuan Sect, what is his mere Fourth Layer strength worth?"

After hearing Su Duan's words, the others nodded, their apprehension fading. When they looked at Zhou Yuan again, their gazes held a hint of disdain. Indeed, stripped of the "tiger's skin" provided by the Cangxuan Sect, Zhou Yuan's strength was not worthy of their attention. Their strength, while not comparable to that of Holy Sons like Li Qingchan and Zhao Zhu, had reached roughly the Sixth Layer. Su Duan, in particular, had even reached the Seventh Layer. After all, he was the Young Sect Master of the Blazing Cauldron Sect, and the cultivation resources he received were certainly no less than those of the Cangxuan Sect's Purple Sash disciples.

Seeing this, Su Duan smiled contentedly, then no longer bothered to hide. With a movement, he shot directly into the sky, then slowly approached Zhou Yuan's position, treading on Origin Qi.

"Zhou Yuan, your abilities are truly impressive... Even the beast horde couldn't defeat you," Su Duan said, looking down at Zhou Yuan.

Zhou Yuan, seeing Su Duan appear, smiled faintly. Although he had already identified the man as an enemy, he couldn't help but retain a hint of amusement when recalling Su Duan's actions. "Brother Su's grand gift was truly substantial. Otherwise, I would have had to put in a great deal of effort today."

Su Duan's mouth twitched, and annoyance flickered in his eyes. "Sharp-tongued, Zhou Yuan. I advise you to be wise and get out of this area right now. This place is ours!" he declared.

Zhou Yuan smiled and shook his head. "That won't do."

"You're not in a position to refuse now!" Su Duan's lips curled into a sinister grin. He abruptly raised his hand and said coldly, "Attack!"

Behind him, violent surges of Origin Qi suddenly shot skyward, flowing like a great torrent that cracked the ground wherever it passed. It was the people hidden behind him launching their assault. They held nothing back and showed no hesitation in outnumbering him. They launched a coordinated attack, clearly intending to completely overwhelm Zhou Yuan in a single blow.

"Zhou Yuan, be careful!"

Seeing this, Zuoqiu Qingyu's pretty face changed slightly, and she was about to use her movement technique to aid him. The several attackers were all Sixth Layer Initial Realm cultivators, and their combined assault was exceptionally fierce. Zhou Yuan, being only a Fourth Layer Initial Realm cultivator, would surely be instantly overwhelmed in a direct confrontation.

However, just as Zuoqiu Qingyu's graceful figure darted forward, she saw Zhou Yuan extend a finger and snap it crisply. The instant the crisp sound faded, the Heavenly Yuan Brush, floating beside Zhou Yuan, shot forth like a streak of rainbow light, colliding directly with the violent torrents of Origin Qi.

"Arrogant! Do you think having a Heavenly Origin Weapon makes you qualified to contend with five Sixth Layer experts?!" Su Duan sneered grimly at the sight.

"Rip!"

Yet, no sooner had his words faded than a subtle tearing sound echoed. Su Duan's pupils contracted as he witnessed the five violent torrents of Origin Qi being instantly pierced and ripped apart by that dark, mottled black brush. It felt as if the brush had simply pierced through a layer of flimsy paper.

"How is that possible?!" The faces of the five Sixth Layer experts behind him, who had launched the attack, all changed dramatically. In their perception, the black brush seemed to possess a strange power, making any Origin Qi appear incredibly fragile before it.

As their expressions shifted, the Heavenly Yuan Brush approached them with ghostly speed. The pure white bristles at its tip split apart, transforming into five streaks of white, silken light. The silken bristles pierced through space like five white pythons, directly coiling around the five individuals and binding them. Seeing this, the five Sixth Layer experts instantly unleashed the Origin Qi within their bodies, attempting to shake off the silken bristles. However, the silken bristles disregarded their Origin Qi defenses, suddenly tightening their grip. The next moment, the five individuals were bound so securely they couldn't move. They struggled frantically, but no matter how they activated their Origin Qi, the pure white bristles remained impervious, tightening relentlessly and causing their bodies to creak audibly.

Zhou Yuan flicked his finger lightly, and the pure white silken threads danced, forming great arcs in the air. Finally, with a chorus of tragic screams, the five figures were violently slammed onto the ground. The entire ground trembled, and a massive crater appeared, within which five bloodied figures lay, their fates uncertain.

At this point, the pure white bristles rapidly retracted. The Heavenly Yuan Brush flickered, reappearing before Zhou Yuan, its body swaying slightly as if in triumph. Su Duan, hovering in mid-air, watched this scene, his eye twitching slightly. Who could have imagined that Zhou Yuan hadn't even made a move, yet the mysterious, mottled black brush before him had defeated five Sixth Layer experts in a single encounter? What ordinary Heavenly Origin Weapon could possess such power?