Chapter 544: Source Marrow Light Beam

When Arch-Sect Master Qing Yang's majestic voice resounded throughout heaven and earth, light radiated from all the disciples within the Origin Pool, enveloping their figures and sweeping them into the sky.

Outside the Origin Pool, innumerable streaks of light descended as all the disciples from the Seven Peaks emerged, landing on various mountain peaks. The entire world was filled with joyous and excited clamor.

Some disciples couldn't help but collapse, exhausted, yet their faces bore contented smiles.

This year's Origin Pool Festival was unimaginably difficult. Fortunately, the Seven Peaks ultimately joined forces and persevered.

After enduring such hardship, abundant rewards awaited them.

This was the moment all disciples anticipated most.

At this moment, from the highest point, Arch-Sect Master Qing Yang and the Peak Masters watched the disciples scattered across the mountains, their expectant gazes naturally falling upon them as well.

Arch-Sect Master Qing Yang smiled slightly and said, "Although these youngsters resorted to some ingenuity at the end, they didn't disappoint after all."

His gaze swept over a mountain peak, where a young figure, Zhou Yuan, was surrounded by others like stars circling the moon.

Given Arch-Sect Master Qing Yang's power, everything that occurred in the Origin Pool was within his sight, including Zhou Yuan's deciphering of the Dragon Saliva True Water and his subsequent gathering of some of it to defend against the colossal water beast's dying strike.

Originally, he had intended to use the colossal water beast to force the Holy Sons of each peak into a desperate, last-ditch struggle. However, due to Zhou Yuan's appearance, the Holy Sons of the various peaks were clearly not pushed to that extreme point.

Overall, Arch-Sect Master Qing Yang was still quite satisfied with their performance.

At the very least, they knew that when facing a crisis, the Seven Peaks could cast aside past grievances and unite.

The other Peak Masters nodded slightly, but Peak Master Ling Jun remained expressionless. Jianlai Peak's performance this time had deeply disappointed him, causing some of its elders to not dare to incur his wrath. It was foreseeable that once the Origin Pool Festival concluded, the entire Jianlai Peak would remain under Peak Master Ling Jun's fury for a considerable period.

"Since the Origin Pool Festival has concluded, it's time to assess merits and bestow rewards," Arch-Sect Master Qing Yang said in a gentle voice. As his words spread, the fervent atmosphere among the mountains instantly quieted, and countless gazes instantly became fervent and eager.

This was the moment they had been waiting for.

"The Seven Peaks disciples will be ranked based on their Origin Marrow," Arch-Sect Master Qing Yang declared.

Arch-Sect Master Qing Yang extended a finger and lightly tapped the air.

The moment his finger descended, streaks of light, varying in size, suddenly rose from the bodies of the Seven Peaks disciples. These lights converged, forming massive pillars of light that rapidly ascended.

Throughout the world, where the Seven Peaks disciples gathered, seven massive pillars of light soared into the sky.

Within those light pillars, a vast and pure power was contained. It was clearly transformed Origin Marrow.

"The higher the Origin Marrow light pillar, the higher the ranking," Arch-Sect Master Qing Yang announced.

Countless disciples stared intently at the light pillars above.

Under the watchful eyes of the many disciples, the seven light pillars continuously grew taller. In an instant, they all reached approximately a thousand *zhang*. However, at this point, everyone noticed that one light pillar ceased to grow, immediately placing it at the bottom of the Seven Peaks' rankings.

It was Jianlai Peak!

Innumerous gazes were cast towards it, revealing the dejected expressions of the Jianlai Peak disciples.

Among them, Kong Sheng, Zhao Zhu, and the eliminated Baili Che all had fluctuating expressions.

The Origin Marrow that Jianlai Peak had painstakingly hunted for earlier was all lost to Saint Origin Peak after Zhou Yuan and Yaoyao's scheme. Even if they hunted desperately afterward, with only a hundred elite disciples, how many water beasts could they possibly hunt?

Thus, the Origin Marrow in their possession was unsurprisingly at the bottom of the Seven Peaks.

Within the light pillar of about a thousand *zhang*, four faint dragon shadows could be seen coiling. This indicated that Jianlai Peak's disciples could at most enjoy a Four-Dragon Baptism this time.

This result was quite poor for Jianlai Peak, as in previous Origin Pool Festivals, the minimum had always been a Five-Dragon Baptism.

Of course, this was what ordinary disciples could enjoy. As Holy Sons and Chief Disciples, they would receive further augmentation based on their evaluation. However, given the circumstances, even with further augmentation, Kong Sheng, Zhao Zhu, and Baili Che would at most achieve a Seven-Dragon Baptism this time, which held little appeal for them.

Disciples from other peaks sighed with emotion, then turned their gaze to the remaining six ascending light pillars. At present, it was better to be concerned about themselves. Jianlai Peak's outcome was merely self-inflicted and not deserving of sympathy.

Under countless gazes, the remaining six light pillars rose in a straight line, quickly leaving Jianlai Peak's light pillar behind.

Approximately a few dozen breaths later, Spirit Rune Peak was the first to reach its limit. However, shortly after Spirit Rune Peak stopped, Hongya Peak, Thunder Prison Peak, and Snow Lotus Peak also gradually ceased their ascent, without exceeding it by much.

Clearly, the difference was not significant.

The light pillars of these four peaks soared four thousand *zhang* into the sky. Within them, six dragon shadows coiled.

This indicated that the disciples of these four peaks would all enjoy a Six-Dragon Baptism.

So the disciples of the four peaks all nodded with satisfaction. Then, with eyes full of surprise, they looked at the last two light pillars. One was Cangxuan Peak, which did not surprise them, as Cangxuan Peak's overall strength was indeed the strongest in the Cangxuan Sect. But what astonished them was that the other continuously ascending light pillar was actually Saint Origin Peak…

It should be known that Saint Origin Peak had only a few hundred disciples this time, which was insignificant compared to the other peaks.

However, everyone knew that Saint Origin Peak had seized Jianlai Peak's harvest, so their current achievement was essentially built upon Jianlai Peak's expense…

As for the Jianlai Peak disciples, their faces turned green as they watched the steadily ascending light pillar.

Only Saint Origin Peak's disciples cheered joyfully, their eyes burning with fervor. After all, Saint Origin Peak hadn't enjoyed such treatment for countless years.

In previous Origin Pool Festivals, they had always been in last place. Sometimes, merely achieving a Four-Dragon Baptism was cause for immense gratitude.

And vying for first place with Cangxuan Peak was something they wouldn't have even dared to dream of before.

The numerous disciples of Saint Origin Peak couldn't help but cast their gazes toward Zhou Yuan's tall and straight figure. At this moment, disciples from both the Shen Taiyuan lineage and the Lu Song lineage looked at him with profound respect in their eyes.

They all knew that Saint Origin Peak's ability to achieve such a result was almost entirely due to the efforts of Zhou Yuan and Yaoyao. As for themselves, they had merely assisted from the side.

Therefore, at this moment, the disciples of Saint Origin Peak were all incredibly fortunate. After so many years of obscurity, their Saint Origin Peak had finally welcomed such a formidable Chief Disciple.

Throughout heaven and earth, countless gazes were fixed on the two rapidly ascending light pillars. It was clear that the first place in this year's Origin Pool Festival would be decided between these two.

Under the watchful eyes of many, approximately a few dozen breaths later, Saint Origin Peak's light pillar finally began to slow down and was then surpassed by Cangxuan Peak's light pillar.

Some sounds of regret erupted throughout heaven and earth. After all, this kind of comeback story always generated some anticipation. However, Saint Origin Peak's foundation was ultimately too weak. Even though it had risen by stepping on Jianlai Peak, it still lacked what it took to truly surpass Cangxuan Peak.

The many disciples of Saint Origin Peak also felt a little regret, but they still wore beaming smiles. To achieve second place was already far beyond all their expectations.

Zhou Yuan smiled as he watched this scene. Then he clenched his palm, and a brilliant, gem-like light burst forth as the Origin Marrow of the colossal water beast appeared in his hand.

The moment the colossal water beast's Origin Marrow appeared, it instantly transformed into a powerful beam of light that shot skyward, merging into the light pillar that had stopped ascending. Then, in the next moment, that Origin Marrow light pillar suddenly surged upwards amidst astonished gazes. In an instant, it had already surpassed Cangxuan Peak's Origin Marrow light pillar.

A dozen or so breaths later, both light pillars ceased their ascent.

Saint Origin Peak's light pillar had precisely surpassed Cangxuan Peak's by a hundred *zhang*.

Within that light pillar, dragon shadows coiled, clearly reaching a total of seven!

The disciples of Saint Origin Peak all watched this scene with wide-open mouths, appearing somewhat incredulous.

The entire world was also somewhat quiet. Disciples from all peaks stared at Saint Origin Peak's ascending light pillar, somewhat dazed. Who could have imagined that the first place in this year's Origin Pool Festival would go to Saint Origin Peak, which in previous years could barely scrape by?!

Countless gazes were fixed on Zhou Yuan, who stood out like a crane among chickens among the many Saint Origin Peak disciples. Their eyes held a complex mix of emotions and a touch of admiration.

To be able to single-handedly pull Saint Origin Peak, which had always been at the bottom, to this level… This new Chief Disciple of Saint Origin Peak had clearly earned the right to conquer all doubts.

From now on, within the Cangxuan Sect, it was unlikely that anyone would dare to show even the slightest contempt towards this Chief Disciple of Saint Origin Peak…