Chapter 428: Turning the Tide

The moment Yang Xuan's body fell backward, the dull thud of his fall seemed to echo throughout the world. Countless gazes were fixed on this scene, almost frozen in place.

From a distance, Zuoqiu Qingyu, Baili, Qin Hai, and others slowly opened their mouths wide.

The disciples of the Sacred Palace also seemed to turn into statues.

The spectators in the distance around them were also rubbing their eyes hard.

The frozen atmosphere lingered for a long while until someone gradually came to their senses, and immediately, voices filled with utter shock and disbelief couldn't help but resound.

"Yang Xuan… he actually lost?!"

This trembling voice acted like a spark, completely igniting everyone. The next moment, waves of astonished cries erupted one after another.

"How is that possible?! How could Yang Xuan suddenly lose?!"

"Exactly, he had the absolute upper hand just moments ago!"

"What method did Zhou Yuan use in the end?!"

Everyone wore a bewildered expression. Earlier, when Yang Xuan's bone armor turned red, even Zhou Yuan's potent green flame couldn't harm him. But who could have known that when Zhou Yuan, risking everything, launched his final strike, the situation would suddenly change so dramatically?

Moreover, anyone could see that Yang Xuan's entire arm had exploded into bloody mist, clearly having suffered an incredibly terrifying impact. But what kind of power could be so immense as to incapacitate Yang Xuan even in that state?!

As those gazes turned to Zhou Yuan, they became a mixture of surprise and uncertainty, along with a hint of fear.

In the distant sky, Li Qingchan, Zhao Zhu, Wang Li, and Cao Jinzhu had just recovered from the shocking scene, their expressions momentarily bewildered.

Wang Li and Cao Jinzhu exchanged glances, both seeing disbelief in the other's eyes. Clearly, this final outcome had exceeded their expectations.

And then, their expressions gradually turned grim. Yang Xuan's defeat at Zhou Yuan's hands meant that their plan for the day would completely spiral out of control, wouldn't it?!

The two of them watched Zhou Yuan's figure from afar, a cold glint in their eyes.

"What a vicious brat, I won't let you off!" Wang Li said grimly. The next moment, his figure suddenly shot out, vast Genesis Qi erupting from him, exuding astonishing pressure.

With Yang Xuan defeated, they had to eliminate Zhou Yuan to salvage the situation.

However, just as Wang Li's figure darted forward, a graceful silhouette appeared in front of him. A jade-like palm struck out, Genesis Qi surged, and a chilling aura swept forth, freezing even the air.

Sensing the fierceness of that palm strike, Wang Li didn't dare to be slow. He immediately halted his movement and met it with full force.

Genesis Qi swept out, and Wang Li's figure trembled, retreating more than ten steps. He looked up to see Li Qingchan standing coldly in front of him, blocking his path.

"What’s wrong? Didn't you say 'Saint Child against Saint Child' earlier?" Li Qingchan sneered.

Wang Li's face turned ashen, and he said coldly, "Get lost!"

"That depends on whether you have the ability," Li Qingchan retorted. Icy Genesis Qi slowly rose from her delicate body, and her beautiful eyes stared mockingly at Wang Li.

Watching Wang Li's ashen face, even with Li Qingchan's disposition, she couldn't help but feel a sense of satisfaction. The frustration they had felt earlier from being held back by their opponents was now fully returned.

Feeling pleased, Li Qingchan gently touched her ear with her jade-like hand, transmitting her voice into the "Transmission Stone": "Zhou Yuan, well done. Are you alright?"

Her voice, at this moment, had become unusually soft.

For this mission, she had insisted on bringing Zhou Yuan, overcoming much opposition, due to Yaoyao. However, she had clearly faced considerable pressure along the way, especially from Elder Wu. Though her status as a Saint Child prevented direct blame, for the sake of the overall situation, Zhou Yuan was ultimately reassigned outside the core area.

This method was clearly an expression of some dissatisfaction towards her.

Faced with this, Li Qingchan couldn't say anything; she could only endure it. But it was clear she felt some grievances, which was why she had been somewhat cold towards Zhou Yuan earlier, even though that was her usual demeanor.

However, all these emotions completely vanished the moment Yang Xuan fell to the ground.

She had never imagined that, at such a dire moment, it would be Zhou Yuan, who had initially been sidelined, who would step forward, turn the tide, and defeat Yang Xuan.

She gazed at the young figure in the distance, her heart stirred with emotion. Only now did she somewhat understand why Yaoyao had such unwavering confidence in Zhou Yuan.

This guy, it seemed, always managed to pull off some miracle at the most crucial moment.

He didn't seem particularly strong, merely at the fourth layer of cultivation, yet he possessed numerous unforeseen techniques.

Gazing at Zhou Yuan in the distance, even Li Qingchan felt a slight surge of curiosity. Just how many secrets did this guy truly have?

Outside the volcano.

At this moment, exclamations echoed throughout the mountains and plains, clearly astonished by the outcome of the battle between Zhou Yuan and Yang Xuan.

"What a lad!"

Elder Wu slapped his thigh, his old face flushed, and his eyes filled with overwhelming joy. He was clearly beside himself with happiness, as he had previously thought their Cangxuan Sect would be humiliated by the Sacred Palace this time. But who would have expected the situation to suddenly change in the blink of an eye?

Elder Wu looked up at the Sacred Palace elder nearby, whose face was now ashen. The latter eventually lost composure, looking at him and sternly declaring, "Impossible! Your Cangxuan Sect cheated!"

However, Elder Wu merely sneered at his words, not bothering to respond.

There was a vast disparity in strength between Zhou Yuan and Yang Xuan, yet Zhou Yuan was the one who ultimately won. No matter how it was explained, it only showed the incompetence of the Sacred Palace disciples.

His gaze turned to the Genesis Qi mirror, watching the young figure within. His usually stern face softened, and stroking his beard, he said with a smile, "I didn’t expect this old man to be so shortsighted this time. This lad… he hides his abilities very well."

"After returning to the sect this time, I will certainly give you a good evaluation!"

He had previously assumed Zhou Yuan was just there to participate in the 'Heavenly Merit' competition without much purpose, so he hadn't paid him much attention. But who would have thought that it would be this disciple, whom he had overlooked, who would ultimately turn the tide?

Although being mistaken was a bit embarrassing, Elder Wu clearly preferred this minor loss of face to the Cangxuan Sect being suppressed and its reputation damaged by the Sacred Palace.

Li Qingchan’s voice came through the Transmission Stone, and Zhou Yuan gradually came back to his senses. He looked down at his arm; his flesh had been torn by the recoil from the previous strike. However, at this moment, a verdant green light was emanating from the flesh, directly causing it to regenerate, and within a mere dozen breaths, it had fully recovered.

Although the Taiyi Seal was not yet fully complete, it had already begun to reveal its profound mysteries. Zhou Yuan's physical recovery ability was far beyond that of ordinary people.

He glanced at Yang Xuan, whose arm was shattered and who lay unconscious in front of him. This fellow was indeed troublesome, forcing him to even use the Silver Shadow in the end.

Fortunately, it hadn't been discovered by others. After all, the Silver Shadow was one of his trump cards for survival; he rarely used it within the sect, and the fewer people who knew about it, the better.

He took a deep breath, calming the surging Genesis Qi within his body, then replied through the Transmission Stone: "I’m fine, nothing serious."

"Good, that’s good. Yang Xuan has been defeated, so you can quickly reclaim the territory."

"Baili, Qin Hai, you are both to follow Zhou Yuan’s command. We will stop the two Saint Children from the other side."

Li Qingchan’s voice came through, surprisingly entrusting the command to Zhou Yuan.

Baili and Qin Hai both looked at him with complex expressions. Earlier, they would certainly have been dissatisfied, believing Zhou Yuan had no right to command them. However, after witnessing Zhou Yuan’s battle with Yang Xuan, those thoughts completely vanished.

Even the two of them combined couldn’t defeat Yang Xuan, yet Zhou Yuan had managed to beat him outright. It was clear how terrifying Zhou Yuan’s hidden combat power was.

With this level of strength, he could even compete for the chief disciple position of various peaks within the Cangxuan Sect.

But… Zhou Yuan wasn’t this strong before leaving the Cangxuan Sect… During the Purple Sash Selection, he had only fought Xu Yan to a draw.

Zhou Yuan nodded slightly, clenched his hand, and the Heavenly Yuan Brush appeared in it. Immediately, his figure appeared in front of Baili, Qin Hai, and the other Cangxuan Sect disciples.

Looking at his figure, Baili and the others had complex expressions, but gone was their previous casualness. Instead, there was a newfound wariness and admiration.

"Can you all still fight?"

Zhou Yuan smiled, and upon seeing Baili and the others nod, he raised the Heavenly Yuan Brush, pointing it at the somewhat startled Sacred Palace disciples.

"If you can fight… then follow me and let’s reclaim the lost territory."

Gazing at that slender figure, Baili blinked her beautiful eyes. For the first time, she found herself thinking that this guy, whom she had previously looked down upon, was actually quite handsome…