Chapter 63: One Strike to Establish Power

Inside the massive encampment, bonfires burned brightly, their light dispelling the darkness and illuminating half the sky.

In the center of the encampment, a spacious platform stood. Around it, clusters of bonfires blazed, surrounded by soldiers drinking heavily and eating large mouthfuls of meat. A cacophony of voices rose to the heavens.

Zhou Yuan, Yaoyao, Su Youwei, and Lu Tieshan were seated at the central location.

"Your Highness certainly seems in good spirits, always bringing beauties wherever you go," Wei Qingqing remarked, casting an indifferent glance at the two women beside Zhou Yuan from the opposite side.

Yaoyao merely shot her a glance and said nothing. Su Youwei, however, displeased with the woman's constant coldness towards Zhou Yuan, immediately parted her red lips and retorted, "Deputy Commander Wei is also a woman. Why must you treat other women as mere ornaments?"

As she spoke, Source Qi surged around Su Youwei, revealing her Yang Qi realm strength.

Wei Qingqing paused, surprised. Her gaze towards Su Youwei became more serious. To reach the Yang Qi realm at this age was undoubtedly the mark of a genius, certainly no mere decorative vase.

"My apologies, I was mistaken," Wei Qingqing said, then straightforwardly gave a slight nod to Su Youwei, indicating her apology.

But when she looked at Zhou Yuan, her brows furrowed even more deeply, as if she felt it was an utter waste for such an outstanding girl to be by his side.

"Haha, Your Highness," Qi Hao, seated beside Wei Qingqing, suddenly said with a faint smile, "many of our Canglan Army brothers want to spar with the Imperial Guards for some excitement. What do you think, Your Highness?"

As his voice fell, the many Canglan Army warriors around them roared in agreement, their eyes filled with fighting spirit.

Zhou Yuan looked at Lu Tieshan, who nodded as well and shouted towards the Imperial Guards, "Someone wants to challenge you! So take them on properly and don't disgrace our Imperial Guards!"

"Yes, sir!" The Imperial Guards who had come along on this trip were all elites, naturally proud and spirited. The Canglan Army's repeated provocations had long made them eager for a chance to demonstrate their skills.

"Imperial Guard Tong Wudi! Which Canglan Army brother wants to test me?!" a burly figure shouted with a booming voice as he shot out and landed on the platform.

Source Qi coiled around the figure, clearly an expert at the early Yang Qi realm. He was an officer of the Imperial Guards.

"Haha, good! I, Sun Meng of the Canglan Army, will take you on!" From the Canglan Army's direction, another figure shot out, whose strength was clearly no weaker than Tong Wudi's.

As soon as the two stepped onto the platform, countless cheers immediately erupted around them.

The two on the platform said no more. After exchanging bows, they immediately launched fierce attacks. Instantly, sand and stones flew on the platform as fists and feet clashed, making the fight quite intense.

The soldiers from both sides below the platform roared and cheered wildly, creating a fiery atmosphere.

The battle lasted for a while, with Tong Wudi ultimately winning by half a move, immediately drawing countless cheers.

With these two setting the precedent, more experts from both sides successively took to the stage. Amidst their fierce clashes, the cheers in the encampment rose and fell in continuous waves.

Zhou Yuan watched with keen interest. These warriors had all endured trials of blood and fire, were decisive in battle, and struck with fierce power, far beyond what the students of Great Zhou Academy could achieve in their sparring matches.

As the atmosphere grew even more heated, Qi Hao suddenly stood up and said with a seemingly casual smile, "We previously heard that Your Highness turned the tide at the Great Zhou Academy, earning renown throughout Great Zhou. Our brothers in the Canglan Army were very curious upon hearing this. We wonder if Your Highness could demonstrate some skills and enlighten us?"

Countless eyes turned to gaze curiously at Zhou Yuan. Everyone had heard of this Prince of Great Zhou, but it was rumored that he could not cultivate his meridians, making them quite astonished by the rumored events of the academy trials. "So, they're coming for me after all," Zhou Yuan thought.

Zhou Yuan's expression remained unchanged. He knew that Qi Hao would try every trick tonight to cause trouble. This fellow clearly wanted to humiliate him in front of the Canglan Army, attempting to weaken his prestige and thereby undermine the royal family's authority. In this way, even if Wei Canglan chose to assist the royal family, the Canglan Army warriors would consider the royal family useless and develop other intentions.

Therefore, this seemingly small matter concealed Qi Hao's sinister intentions.

Qi Hao smiled as he looked at Zhou Yuan. Then he waved his hand, and a slender man stood up. "We heard that Your Highness defeated my younger brother, who opened eight meridians using the Meridian-Breaking Art, during the academy trials," Qi Hao said. "So this time, our Canglan Army will send someone who has truly opened eight meridians to test Your Highness's skills!"

Qi Hao was very clever. He did not arrange for someone in the Yang Qi realm to fight, because even if Zhou Yuan lost in that scenario, no one would consider it disgraceful. Therefore, someone who had truly opened eight meridians but had not yet immediately established a Qi Manor was the most suitable opponent. Clearly, Qi Hao had already put some thought into this.

"Haha, of course, if Your Highness feels there's no need, then let's forget it," he added. "After all, simple brutes like us are indeed too different in status from Your Highness."

Qi Hao sighed, wearing a seemingly understanding expression, but his true intention was extremely malicious. Once these words were uttered, if Zhou Yuan refused, the Canglan Army warriors would feel that Zhou Yuan was relying on his status and looking down on them, the rough soldiers. This would naturally make them feel disheartened.

To the side, Wei Qingqing's beautiful face subtly changed. She perceived Qi Hao's intention and immediately wanted to stop him.

"Qingqing, let's just see how capable this Prince really is," Wei Ting whispered into Wei Qingqing's ear just as she was about to speak. "Canglan County is quite chaotic right now because of that relic. If this Prince truly has no ability and loses face here, he might just retreat directly and go back. That would save us some trouble."

Hearing this, Wei Qingqing hesitated for a moment and finally nodded. Indeed, if Zhou Yuan truly lacked ability, it would be safer for him to return to Great Zhou City, lest something happen to him here that would only incur Zhou Qing's wrath.

Countless gazes were now fixed on Zhou Yuan, awaiting his reply.

Under the watchful eyes of all, Zhou Yuan looked up at the smiling Qi Hao and suddenly smiled as well. "Since everyone is in such high spirits," he said, "I naturally cannot dampen the atmosphere."

He knew Qi Hao's intentions, but if Qi Hao truly thought this move could suppress him, then he was probably thinking too simply.

He stood up. Tapping his toe, he landed on the platform. With a grip of his hand, the Genesis Brush appeared in his hand. He immediately activated its martial form, causing it to expand like a long spear.

"Come up. If you can take even one of my moves, I lose," Zhou Yuan said with a faint smile, holding the Genesis Brush pointed diagonally at the ground.

"Ooh! Ooh! Ooh!" As soon as Zhou Yuan said this, it immediately drew countless exclamations. Warriors from both the Canglan Army and Imperial Guards couldn't help but cheer. Leaving aside his strength, Zhou Yuan's sheer boldness made them very impressed.

"Quite boastful," Wei Qingqing commented, having frozen for a moment.

Wei Ting, to the side, merely curled her lips in disdain.

Qi Hao smiled faintly. He took out a fiery-red long saber and tossed it to the slender man, saying, "Go. If you win, this mid-grade Genesis weapon is yours."

The slender man quickly took it, his eyes shining with delight. The value of a mid-grade Genesis weapon was well over a thousand Genesis Crystals, something a mere soldier like him could not afford.

The slender man held the long saber. He leaped onto the platform, his eyes fixed on Zhou Yuan with a burning gaze.

Zhou Yuan paid him no mind. His expression remained unruffled as the Source Qi of the world surged into his body through his nose and mouth. The next instant, he shot out fiercely, directly at the slender man.

"High-grade Genesis Art, Flame Saber Slash!" The slender man dared not be slow. With a fierce shout, he gripped the saber with both hands and slashed down fiercely. Fiery light seemed to emanate from the blade.

This slash exuded a ferocious aura and was exceedingly sharp. Clearly, among those who had opened eight meridians, this slender man's strength was considered outstanding.

This attack was even fiercer than Qi Yue's during the academy trials.

However, facing such a ferocious slash, Zhou Yuan's figure did not pause in the slightest. He charged straight forward, the tip of the Genesis Brush in his hand grazing the ground and leaving a trail of sparks.

Zhou Yuan suddenly took a deep breath, and Source Qi surged into his body. The Genesis Brush vibrated violently, and then streaks of green light erupted from its tip.

"Profound Ray Art!" However, the Profound Ray Art Zhou Yuan unleashed this time saw the green rays extending several inches. Coupled with the Genesis Brush's amplification, its power was far beyond what it had been during the academy trials.

His figure shot out. The Genesis Brush in his hand thrust out like a spear, tearing through the air and producing a sharp whistle. Then, under the gaze of many eyes, it directly and heavily collided with the fiery saber slashed down by the slender man.

The clang of metal resonated, and sparks flew.

However, at the same moment the sound rang out, everyone saw a figure ungracefully shoot backward, his feet stomping hard on the ground repeatedly. After dozens of steps, he finally managed to stabilize himself clumsily.

And when he stabilized his steps, the crowd looked and immediately burst into an uproar, because that person was none other than the slender man who had opened eight meridians.

No one had expected that the slender man, whose strength had reached the eight-meridian stage, would actually be unable to withstand even a single move from Zhou Yuan!

At this moment, the slender man also had a look of shock on his face. He slowly raised the fiery-red long saber in his hand, only to see cracks appearing on the blade before it finally shattered directly with a series of cracking sounds.

Countless gazes around them were filled with astonishment. "This Prince Zhou Yuan," they thought, "he actually destroyed this mid-grade Genesis weapon directly? How much power does that take?"

By the bonfires, Wei Qingqing's beautiful eyes were slightly widened as she watched this scene. She could clearly sense how fierce Zhou Yuan's previous attack had been.

That attack would probably threaten even an expert in the early Yang Qi realm.

"So, the rumors were true after all," Wei Qingqing murmured, her beautiful eyes fixed on Zhou Yuan's figure with a hint of surprise.

On the platform, Zhou Yuan, with the Genesis Brush pointed diagonally at the ground, smiled faintly and said, "Thank you for the concession."

This Qi Hao thought that sending someone about to establish a Qi Manor would be enough to ambush him, but he probably didn't expect that in the time since the academy trials, Zhou Yuan's strength had also progressed significantly, having opened his seventh meridian.

As for him now, below the Yang Qi realm, few, if any, could withstand even one of his moves.

"Ooh! Ooh! Ooh!" Below the platform, the countless Canglan Army soldiers immediately burst into cheers. In their eyes, as they looked at Zhou Yuan, there was finally a touch of admiration and respect. Zhou Yuan's exceptionally precise and powerful strike had clearly conquered these military officers and soldiers who valued strength above all else.

"Your Highness! Your Highness!" Thus, led by someone unknown, deafening shouts of jubilation resonated, echoing throughout the entire encampment.

Amidst the countless cheers and shouts of jubilation, by the bonfires, Qi Hao's face, illuminated by the flames, appeared slightly stiff.

He clearly hadn't expected that the action originally intended to diminish Zhou Yuan's prestige and strike at the royal family's authority would ultimately benefit Zhou Yuan, causing all the Canglan Army officers and soldiers to acknowledge this Prince from Great Zhou City.

This was truly a case of trying to steal a chicken but losing a handful of rice.