Chapter 468

As a storm of furious Genesis Qi surged from Yuan Hong’s body, the clouds and mist at the peak were violently churned, and a terrifying pressure permeated the air.

Under the oppressive weight of the Genesis Qi, Zhou Yuan's expression grew increasingly somber. The sheer power radiating from Yuan Hong made it clear he was in a league far beyond Wu Hai and his ilk.

Behind him, Han Yu had already retreated, her face pale with terror. Her courage completely vanished, she clearly lacked the bravery to confront Yuan Hong, making any expectation of help from her impossible.

The crushing pressure surged from all directions, yet it did not break Zhou Yuan’s spirit. Instead, a fervent battle intent ignited in his eyes.

His hand slowly tightened around the Tianyuan Brush. The brush trembled slightly, emitting a faint hum.

He had endured countless hardships, cultivating diligently for a year to finally reach this point. Just one more step and he would become the chief disciple of Saint Genesis Peak. Therefore, no matter what formidable foe stood in his path, Zhou Yuan would not retreat in the slightest.

As battle intent surged within Zhou Yuan, a faint voice suddenly reached him. He paused, his gaze shifting to the nearby collapsed ground where three figures, previously lying covered in blood, were now struggling to sit up. It was Zhou Tai who had spoken.

Zhou Tai, Zhang Yan, and Lu Yan had all been severely injured and, by the rules, were already eliminated.

Now, having recovered from their injuries, the three stared at Zhou Yuan with complex expressions. Zhang Yan and Lu Yan, in particular, had been the least optimistic about his chances, yet they never imagined Zhou Yuan would actually make it this far.

They all understood that Zhou Yuan’s arrival meant the other five contestants from the Lu Hong lineage had been eliminated.

They were well aware of Han Yan and Han Yu’s strength, so Zhou Yuan, the variable among them, was clearly responsible for this outcome.

Leaning against the stone wall, Zhang Yan looked at Zhou Yuan and finally said weakly, "Reaching this point already makes you incredibly capable, so please don't push yourself any further."

While Zhou Yuan's presence was astonishing, Zhang Yan believed challenging Yuan Hong now would be akin to asking for trouble.

Zhou Yuan smiled, understanding Zhang Yan's lack of malice and his concern about a potential setback. He chuckled, "Let's give it a try. What if it works?"

Upon hearing this, Lu Yan was about to scoff as usual, but the sharp pain in her body made her clench her teeth and bite her lip. She hissed irritably, "Are you still dreaming?"

It wasn't that she underestimated Zhou Yuan, but after their combined efforts resulted in defeat by Yuan Hong, she simply couldn't fathom what qualifications Zhou Yuan possessed to face him.

Such an outcome would only lead to a crushing defeat, possibly leaving a lasting trauma that could hinder his future cultivation.

Zhou Yuan shook his head, saying no more to them. His gaze returned, focusing once again on Yuan Hong.

"It seems they haven't managed to dissuade you from this suicidal notion," Yuan Hong stated calmly.

His answer, however, was the humming Tianyuan Brush. Zhou Yuan’s eyes sharpened, and a jade glow enveloped his form. His figure rapidly blurred, turning into a wisp of smoke that vanished from his original position.

He had chosen to launch a preemptive strike!

Yuan Hong watched expressionlessly, then abruptly clenched his hand. Surging Genesis Qi billowed forth, forming a colossal, thousand-foot Genesis Qi hand that slammed down with immense power towards Zhou Yuan's last known position.

A vast shadow enveloped the area, and the entire peak trembled beneath the immense Genesis Qi hand.

"Shatter Source!"

Zhou Yuan reappeared, looking up at the descending Genesis Qi hand. The formerly snow-white bristles of the Tianyuan Brush turned pitch black as the Genesis Qi within his body surged.

Scales emerged on his jade-glowing skin.

The Tianyuan Brush shot upwards like a meteor, meeting the thousand-foot Genesis Qi hand head-on.

The instant of impact unleashed a violent shockwave. With sharp eyes, Zhou Yuan wielded the pitch-black brush tip, which exuded a peculiar power, dissolving the Genesis Qi within the colossal hand.

Within mere seconds, the black tip of the Tianyuan Brush pierced deeply into the hand.

However, this dissolution was short-lived. The brush tip met an impenetrable barrier, seemingly hitting solid steel, as the immense and violent Genesis Qi brought its advance to a halt.

This time, "Shatter Source" failed to break through the giant Genesis Qi hand.

Zhou Yuan's eyes darkened slightly. While "Shatter Source" possessed a unique ability to disrupt Genesis Qi, it had limitations dependent on his own strength.

Earlier, Zhou Yuan could effortlessly dissolve Wu Hai’s Genesis Qi attacks with the Tianyuan Brush, but against Yuan Hong, its effect was clearly hampered. This was due to Yuan Hong’s significantly more potent Genesis Qi.

"Your Genesis Weapon is rather peculiar; it managed to dissolve a surprising amount of my Genesis Qi," Yuan Hong remarked, standing with his hands clasped behind his back, a hint of surprise in his gaze.

He could sense how many layers of Genesis Qi the giant hand had shed under the black brush. This level of penetration was something Zhou Tai and his two companions had barely achieved together, yet Zhou Yuan had managed it alone, highlighting the brush’s remarkable nature.

"Unfortunately, the disparity between us is too vast!"

Yuan Hong sneered, then sharply clapped his hands together.

A burst of light erupted from the Genesis Qi hand, and a terrifying force instantly slammed down, striking Zhou Yuan’s body with immense weight.

Under countless gazes, Zhou Yuan was sent sprawling backward, his feet carving two deep, gully-like tracks across the ground.

Scales on his body cracked, and the shimmering jade light dimmed slightly, clear evidence that a direct hit from Yuan Hong had caused him injury.

Zhou Yuan's expression grew extremely serious. This initial exchange clearly placed him at a disadvantage; Yuan Hong was indeed a fierce opponent.

"I hear you also practice external cultivation techniques? Good. Today, I shall shatter your tortoise shell, inch by inch, and see if you dare to be so arrogant again in the future!"

Yuan Hong’s hands made a grasping motion in the air, and a torrent of Genesis Qi surged forth, directly lifting an entire mountaintop. He then violently slammed it down towards Zhou Yuan below.

The very air exploded around them.

"Myriad Whale Mark!"

Zhou Yuan gripped the Tianyuan Brush tightly with both hands and swung it out abruptly. Genesis Qi surged around the brush, and the faint phantom of a giant whale materialized.

The Tianyuan Brush collided with the mountaintop, which instantly splintered, sending enormous rocks raining down.

*Whoosh!*

Amidst the showering rocks, a torrent of Genesis Qi, like a bolt of lightning, shot directly towards Zhou Yuan.

"Profound Python Golden Bell!"

Genesis Qi surged from Zhou Yuan’s body, radiating brilliant golden light as a colossal python subtly coiled down, transforming into a protective golden bell around him.

The Genesis Qi torrent slammed into the golden bell, producing a thunderous roar. Cracks swiftly spiderwebbed across the bell’s surface before it exploded into fragments.

Even one of Zhou Yuan's most potent defenses could not endure long against Yuan Hong’s overwhelmingly powerful Genesis Qi assault.

As the golden bell shattered, Zhou Yuan’s body was struck with immense force, sending him flying backward to crash into a mountain wall. Boulders cascaded down, largely burying him.

More and more light scales on his body shattered, and the jade glow on his skin significantly dimmed.

A trickle of blood appeared at the corner of his mouth.

Countless eyes watched this scene, unable to suppress a sigh. While Zhou Yuan was undoubtedly strong, it was clear Yuan Hong was stronger, and the gap between them remained vast.

"This fool... isn't he going to concede yet?" Lu Yan’s brow furrowed tightly, and she couldn't help but grind her teeth.

Given the current situation, Zhou Yuan’s victory seemed impossible.

As the scattered rocks were flung away by Genesis Qi, Zhou Yuan burst forth again. He wiped the blood from his mouth, then grinned at Yuan Hong in the distance. "Is that all you have? It’s not enough."

Yuan Hong gazed indifferently at Zhou Yuan, who, despite everything, was still provoking him, his eyes narrowing slightly.

"It seems you haven't had enough punishment."

His hands suddenly clasped together, and vast Genesis Qi erupted from the crown of his head, soaring skyward like billowing smoke. Immediately, the Qi roared back down, engulfing Zhou Yuan.

*Thump! Thump!*

On the mountaintop, the ground ceaselessly cracked.

Yet, Zhou Yuan faced the ferocious Genesis Qi assault without any attempt to evade it, instead meeting it head-on.

With each direct engagement, Zhou Yuan was sent sprawling backward. Those torrents of Genesis Qi possessed enough power to shatter mountains...

Consequently, in full view of everyone, Zhou Yuan’s body was flung around the peak like a ragdoll. The brutal spectacle caused many to avert their eyes in discomfort.

They simply couldn’t understand why Zhou Yuan, clearly outmatched in a direct confrontation, remained so stubbornly unyielding, choosing such a devastating method of combat.

"Is this guy... insane?" Lu Yan was dumbfounded. Zhou Yuan’s actions were nothing short of suicidal.

Murmurs of astonishment and disbelief echoed around Chief Peak.

Zhou Yuan, who had been invincible until now, appeared to have finally met his match, an even more formidable opponent.

What no one noticed, however, was that with each time Zhou Yuan was sent flying, and as the jade glow on his skin grew progressively dimmer, a faint, almost imperceptible silver light would flash deep within his flesh.

(One update today. I will be away for the next few days, so updates might be inconsistent, but a daily update will be guaranteed.)