Chapter 702: Shaking the Four Directions

As the Great Wu army suffered a complete rout and retreated, the entire Great Wu Dynasty was shaken. Everyone was stunned and filled with disbelief, as this outcome clearly exceeded their expectations.

Given the might of Great Wu, a top-tier dynasty on the vast Cangxuan Continent, it had never known defeat in its numerous campaigns over the years. This time, Great Wu's opponent was the weak Great Zhou. Normally, Great Wu should have achieved an overwhelming victory, but who could have imagined that Great Wu would collapse so swiftly? Furthermore, even King Wu himself was severely wounded!

Consequently, the entire Great Wu Dynasty descended into turmoil at that very moment. Panic spread, especially among those who had once been high-ranking officials of Great Zhou and now held prominent positions in Great Wu. They had followed King Wu in his rebellion and seized Great Zhou, believing it to be a negligible threat. But who could have foreseen that Great Zhou would now mount a counterattack?

If Great Zhou were to defeat Great Wu and reclaim what it had lost years ago, these former Great Zhou officials would undoubtedly face severe reckoning. Therefore, when news of Great Zhou's counterattack spread, the entire Great Wu Dynasty fell into chaos. At this critical juncture, if King Wu could have appeared, the situation might have been contained. However, King Wu vanished without a trace, leaving the dynasty without a leader. As a result, the morale and public sentiment of Great Wu completely collapsed.

Thus, wherever the Great Zhou army advanced, Great Wu's defenses crumbled. The smoke and fires of war spread directly from Great Zhou into the territory of Great Wu. The news of Great Wu's defeat immediately spread across the entire Cangxuan Continent, shocking all other major dynasties. When they understood what had happened on the battlefield, their astonishment grew even greater: King Wu of Great Wu had actually been defeated by Great Zhou's young prince...

King Wu was undeniably a top-tier expert on the Cangxuan Continent, especially after revealing his mid-Divine Dwelling stage cultivation, which made him virtually the strongest. Yet, who could have imagined that King Wu, a mid-Divine Dwelling stage expert, would be thoroughly defeated by Zhou Yuan, who had only just entered the Divine Dwelling stage? Instantly, numerous top dynasties began to take the once-defeated Great Zhou Dynasty seriously. They all understood that after this battle, the Great Zhou Dynasty, once renowned across the Cangxuan Continent, might rise again.

***

Meanwhile, on Shengzhou Continent, at Cangxuan Sect.

*Clang! Clang!* Loud bell chimes echoed throughout the entire sect. At this moment, news of Zhou Yuan's defeat of King Wu also spread throughout Cangxuan Sect, causing an immediate uproar within the sect.

"Senior Brother Zhou Yuan is incredible!""He actually defeated King Wu, a mid-Divine Dwelling stage expert!""He truly possesses an invincible might!""Such a feat is astonishing. Let's see if those Sacred Palace disciples dare to flaunt themselves in front of our Cangxuan Sect again!"

All Cangxuan Sect disciples felt immense pride, as such an accomplishment was indeed rare.

On a peak, Chu Qing, Li Qingchan, Kong Sheng, Ye Ge, and others gazed at the bustling sect. They exchanged glances, and deep admiration was evident in each other's eyes.

"I can't believe this fellow was the first to break through to the Divine Dwelling stage," Li Qingchan murmured.

Ye Ge stroked his chin and said, "To defeat King Wu right after entering the early Divine Dwelling stage... I think Zhou Yuan must have opened at least an eight-Divine Dwelling."

The others remained silent but wore solemn expressions. An eight-Divine Dwelling was indeed a rare achievement.

Chu Qing sighed, his face troubled. "This is troublesome... This guy is breaking through like a madman, putting immense pressure on us.""Before, everyone was so relaxed, cultivating leisurely, enjoying peaceful days and life itself."Chu Qing looked heartbroken: "Our Cangxuan Sect's cultivation atmosphere has been corrupted by this kid!"

Li Qingchan cast a sideways glance at him. "I heard the Arch Sect Master said you should immediately go into secluded cultivation. If you can't break through to the Divine Dwelling stage and open an eight-Divine Dwelling, he'll send you to the outer mountains to be a teaching elder."

Chu Qing sighed again, grumbling, "It's all Zhou Yuan's fault!"

Li Qingchan retorted impatiently, "I think this is good. The path of cultivation requires diligence and progress. What's with your lazy attitude?""Zhou Yuan joined the sect after us, and he's already broken through to the Divine Dwelling stage. If we don't make a breakthrough soon, how can we face anyone?"

The other Saints nodded in agreement, feeling the same way.

"It seems we also need to work harder. Let's start our secluded cultivation today!"The Saints exchanged glances, then their figures moved, soaring towards their respective peaks. In an instant, only Chu Qing remained on the peak, his bald head reflecting a desolate expression.

"Ugh, that damn kid, he's ruined the cultivation atmosphere of our Cangxuan Sect!"Chu Qing sighed again, full of melancholy, and finally flew back to Cangxuan Peak, dejected.

***

In the Council Hall, Arch Sect Master Qingyang smiled, while several other Peak Masters looked surprised. They, too, had learned the outcome of the conflict between Great Zhou and Great Wu immediately.

"This Zhou Yuan is truly a heaven-blessed genius," several Peak Masters couldn't help but exclaim after learning the result.

"It seems our Cangxuan Sect is about to produce a dragon," Arch Sect Master Qingyang said with a smile.

"I wonder what kind of expression that old scoundrel Sheng Yuan has right now?" Peak Master Lianyi sneered, an unconcealed surge of hatred in her eyes when mentioning Sheng Yuan. The conflict between Great Zhou and Great Wu was also a gamble between Cangxuan Sect and Sacred Palace. And as things stood, Cangxuan Sect had clearly won decisively. News of this would undoubtedly have a significant impact on Sacred Palace's reputation.

Upon hearing this, Arch Sect Master Qingyang's expression grew thoughtful. He said, "I, however, suspect that Sheng Yuan might have other schemes." His eyes were deep. Arch Sect Master Qingyang faintly sensed that Sheng Yuan seemed to have only subtly orchestrated this confrontation, without excessively intervening.

The other Peak Masters' eyes narrowed upon hearing this. They clearly harbored great apprehension towards Palace Master Sheng Yuan. "What exactly does he want to do?"

Arch Sect Master Qingyang shook his head and slowly said, "It's impossible to deduce for now. However, I believe if he truly has a scheme, now that the conflict between Great Wu and Great Zhou is nearing its end, he will inevitably reveal it.""During this period, I will keep a close eye on him!"

***

Sacred Palace.

By the misty cliffside, Palace Master Sheng Yuan idly stroked the chaotic crystal ball before him. His eyes were unfathomably deep, and a faint, indifferent smile played on his lips.

"This Wu Huang, King Wu... truly a family of wastes."

He shook his head, then chuckled indifferently, "Never mind. They're just pawns. As long as they're useful, it doesn't matter if they're wolves or dogs..."

His eyes fixed on the chaotic crystal ball, a murmur escaped him."The clash of the Sacred Dragon Qi should be starting soon...""When the heavenly secrets shift, Old Ancestor Cangxuan, your final move will finally be exposed to this Palace Master..."