Chapter 793: Wind Layer Mutation

The howling wind filled the world.

In the valley filled with strangely shaped rocks, a large azure wind vortex, resembling a gigantic azure python, swirled around a massive boulder. The violent wind tore deep gashes into the surrounding ground.

On the boulder, Zhou Yuan sat quietly in meditation. Each time a wisp of violent wind swept past his body, it drew blood, causing his body to tremble slightly.

The Heavenly Spirit Gale raged for the duration of two incense sticks before finally dissipating completely.

As the gale dispersed, a verdant green light emanated from Zhou Yuan's body, teeming with vitality. The bloody marks on his skin began to heal once more.

He opened his eyes and extended his palm. On the back of his hand, over a hundred scattered azure light particles were visible. However, to condense these hundred or so Origin Marks, Zhou Yuan had expended twenty Return-to-Origin Treasure Coins...

If Ye Bingling knew Zhou Yuan had squandered twenty Return-to-Origin Treasure Coins in less than a day, even with her usual temperament, she would likely curse him as a spendthrift.

It should be noted that ordinary cultivators in the Wind Domain would never consume more than three Return-to-Origin Treasure Coins in a single day!

Even Ye Bingling herself could only burn a maximum of around eight Return-to-Origin Treasure Coins a day, because if she exceeded that amount, the Qi and blood within her body and her spirit power would be unable to sustain themselves.

Only after resting for a night could she continue.

Zhou Yuan, however, could burn twenty Return-to-Origin Treasure Coins in a single day because his Qi and blood were supported by the Grand One Azure Wood Mark, and his spirit was at the peak of the Reality Stage.

However, after burning these twenty coins, even Zhou Yuan's spirit light between his brows had become dim.

Zhou Yuan extended a finger and gently rubbed his throbbing brow, a sign of severe spirit exhaustion.

“With the Grand One Azure Wood Mark, my Qi and blood are fine, but the consumption of my spirit is truly significant,” Zhou Yuan muttered, his expression slightly solemn. While his Reality Stage spirit peak was indeed stronger than that of an ordinary Divine Palace Stage cultivator, it wasn't infinitely powerful.

Sensing his spirit's exhaustion, Zhou Yuan did not force himself to continue burning coins. Instead, he closed his eyes and began cultivating the "Chaos Divine Mill Contemplation Method" to recover his spirit.

Rumble!

The surroundings plunged into chaotic darkness, and an boundless divine mill emerged from nothingness, rolling over everything and grinding it into oblivion.

Zhou Yuan’s spirit was continuously crushed and then reshaped beneath the mottled divine mill.

Zhou Yuan gradually immersed himself in the contemplation.

Boom! Boom!

However, at a certain moment, Zhou Yuan suddenly sensed a strange sound echoing in the external world, seemingly resonating with the divine mill in his mind. This startled him, and he abruptly opened his eyes.

Yet, there was no unusual movement in the empty valley.

The previous sensation felt like an illusion.

Zhou Yuan’s eyes flickered with uncertainty and surprise. He then closed his eyes again and resumed cultivating the "Chaos Divine Mill Contemplation Method," but this time, he paid even closer attention.

The divine mill rolled over, causing a deafening roar.

The sound from the outside world once again emanated from the ethereal realm, resonating with the divine mill.

Zhou Yuan abruptly opened his eyes, his gaze snapping towards the endless dark azure wind layer high above. His expression subtly changed, for he discovered that the source of the resonance with the divine mill was actually deep within that wind layer!

Moreover, at this moment, he felt something deep within the wind layer emitting a pulling force towards his spirit.

Zhou Yuan’s eyes flickered. Immediately, with a thought, his spirit shot out from between his brows and settled in a meditative posture above his head. He then resumed cultivating the Chaos Divine Mill Contemplation Method.

With his spirit outside his body, Zhou Yuan immediately noticed that the resonance from deep within the wind layer had become even stronger.

“Is there a change in the wind layer?”

Suddenly, Zhou Yuan keenly noticed a subtle anomaly in the dark azure wind layer high above. A small vortex had formed there, seemingly transforming into a miniature passage.

As the Heavenly Spirit Gale continuously howled down from the wind layer, this particular movement barely attracted any attention.

However, Zhou Yuan was somewhat startled by this, because he found that with the appearance of the small wind-tunnel above his head, his spirit showed signs of floating upwards.

It seemed to want to enter the wind-tunnel?

Zhou Yuan's expression was grave. He knew how terrifying the wind layer was; even his physical body would be torn to shreds if it got too close, let alone a mere Reality Stage spirit.

Yet, faintly, he had a premonition that he should perhaps follow that pulling force.

“The Four Spirits Return-to-Origin Pagoda was refined by Master Cang Yuan, and the Chaos Divine Mill Contemplation Method I cultivate was also created by Master,” Zhou Yuan mused. “It’s not unbelievable for these two to resonate with each other.”

Zhou Yuan’s eyes showed deep thought, and finally, a resolute glint appeared within them.

He did not believe that the Four Spirits Return-to-Origin Pagoda, refined by Master Cang Yuan, would hold any hostility towards someone cultivating the Chaos Divine Mill Contemplation Method.

“Let’s see what exactly is going on!”

Having made up his mind, Zhou Yuan no longer hesitated. He closed his eyes, while his spirit, seated above his head, opened its own. It glanced at the physical body below, then ascended into the air.

Although the spirit was solidified, it was formless, directly merging with the void. Without activating its spirit power, it would be difficult to detect it even at extremely close range.

Furthermore, the area Zhou Yuan had chosen was remote and deserted, so he wasn't afraid of being discovered.

Zhou Yuan’s spirit rapidly ascended, soon gradually approaching the dark azure wind layer high above. Zhou Yuan also became more cautious.

However, he soon discovered that a peculiar power seemed to emanate from the small wind-tunnel above. This power enveloped his spirit, immediately calming the Heavenly Spirit Gales swirling around the wind layer.

Noticing this, Zhou Yuan’s constantly tense heart immediately relaxed.

Thus, he no longer resisted the pulling force. His spirit rose directly and then, following the wind-tunnel, swiftly streaked towards the depths of the wind layer.

The dark azure wind layers continuously swept past him, emitting piercing wails. The faintly emanating terrifying power made Zhou Yuan tremble. He knew that if the protective force around him disappeared at this moment, his spirit would likely be instantly annihilated.

“Master, please don’t let me down…”

Zhou Yuan prayed in his heart.

Zhou Yuan’s spirit sped forward through the wind-tunnel. After a considerable period, he was delighted to find that the thick dark azure wind layer around him finally began to thin.

Ten or so breaths later, the wind layer completely dispersed, and Zhou Yuan’s spirit shot out.

With his spirit suspended in the air, Zhou Yuan felt the surrounding space turn dark, as if it were a chaotic realm. It was at this moment that Zhou Yuan’s spirit trembled, for he heard a familiar booming sound.

He slowly lifted his head, and a look of shock gradually spread across his face.

For he saw, in that chaotic void, an incomparably vast, mottled divine mill slowly rotating. As the divine mill turned, heaven and earth were reduced to nothingness, returning to chaos…

Zhou Yuan’s spirit trembled violently at this moment. A near-whisper, filled with shock, slowly escaped his lips, echoing faintly beyond the wind layer.

“This is... the Chaos Divine Mill?!”