Chapter 838: Fisherman Turns Enforcer

In the jungle, enveloped by the Genesis Rune barrier, Fang Ao and his group watched the nearby Heavenly Annihilation Beast, its eyes filled with murderous intent, staring them down. Their faces were ashen, and they cursed inwardly, never having imagined that they, the "fishermen" who hoped to profit from others' struggles, would instead become Zhou Yuan's pawns. It was obvious Zhou Yuan intended for them to fight the Heavenly Annihilation Beast first.

"Go, break the barrier!" Fang Ao commanded grimly. If they could just destroy the barrier, they would be able to retreat. Their objective wasn't the Heavenly Annihilation Beast, and Zhou Yuan, that scoundrel, was dreaming if he thought he could use them as his personal enforcers.

However, just as he spoke, a torrent of Genesis Qi suddenly roared from the void behind them, striking the distant Heavenly Annihilation Beast with the speed of lightning. The Heavenly Annihilation Beast roared skyward, its sonic waves shattering the incoming Genesis Qi torrent before it could even get close. This attack was an undeniable provocation, and the beast responded with a furious roar, its crimson eyes fixed on Fang Ao and his companions. Violent black Genesis Qi surged like a storm around its massive body. It opened its colossal maw, spewing out black Genesis Qi that transformed into streams of dark light, coiling towards Fang Ao's group. In its mind, they were all part of the same party, and all deserved to die—it was only a matter of when.

"Fool! We weren't the ones who attacked you!" Fang Ao roared, so furious he felt like spitting blood. Although the Heavenly Annihilation Beast was a Class 6 Genesis Beast with considerable intelligence, it was still no match for human cunning. "Quickly, dodge!" Despite his curses, Fang Ao dared not be complacent when facing the beast's attack, shouting urgently. The group flickered and dodged rapidly, darting through the sky like scattered flies.

Seeing its attack miss, the Heavenly Annihilation Beast grew even more enraged, roaring so loudly that its sonic waves tore apart nearby towering trees. Its massive form then shot forward, charging at Fang Ao and his companions with murderous intent. Fang Ao's group hastily retreated in disarray. They had no desire to engage the Heavenly Annihilation Beast, as it would only serve Zhou Yuan's purpose. However, the beast clearly viewed them as allies of Zhou Yuan's group and attacked mercilessly, aiming to tear them to shreds. They attempted to find an opening to attack the barrier, but the Heavenly Annihilation Beast's relentless assault made it impossible to concentrate. Even the occasional Genesis Qi attacks they managed to launch were silently neutralized, a clear sign that Zhou Yuan and his people were secretly intervening—how treacherous!

The scene quickly descended into utter chaos. The Heavenly Annihilation Beast relentlessly pursued Fang Ao and his group, its violent Genesis Qi raging uncontrollably. Under the beast's relentless assault, Fang Ao and his companions were thoroughly disheveled, narrowly avoiding casualties on several occasions.

After repeated close calls, Fang Ao's fury boiled over, and he finally roared, "Everyone, attack together! Let's kill this beast first!" If they continued to evade, the Heavenly Annihilation Beast would inevitably find an opening. Given their current predicament, their only option was to eliminate the beast before settling scores with Zhou Yuan.

As Fang Ao's voice faded, he made the first move. Clapping his hands together, silver Genesis Qi erupted, forming a torrent of countless silver needles that surged towards the Heavenly Annihilation Beast with an incredibly sharp aura, overwhelming it. The others also launched their attacks, their Genesis Qi torrents striking the beast's massive body with immense force. With a thunderous rumble, Fang Ao and his allies, fighting in concert, managed to force the Heavenly Annihilation Beast back repeatedly. Its existing wounds split open further, and blood began to flow.

The intense pain, however, only made the Heavenly Annihilation Beast even more ferocious. It endured wave after wave of Genesis Qi bombardment, tearing through their attacks with savage ferocity. The two sides clashed in a monumental battle, creating an earth-shattering commotion that relentlessly ravaged the vast jungle below.

Behind a veil of mist, Zhou Yuan watched the battle below with a faint smile, while Ye Bingling, Xiao Hong, and the others behind him looked utterly bewildered. "How did Fang Ao end up here?" Ye Bingling finally blurted out. "He's obviously here for me," Zhou Yuan replied with a calm smile. Ye Bingling gasped, realizing the implication, and her tone immediately turned icy. "Lu Xiao truly is audacious!" To dare to secretly target the Master of the Wind Pavilion—how incredibly brazen! Xiao Hong and the others also displayed anger. While the Wind Pavilion had indeed encroached upon the Fire Pavilion's interests, that had been legitimate competition. However, this action by the Fire Pavilion was utterly improper and, if discovered, would undoubtedly cause significant upheaval.

"But you actually knew they were coming for you?" Ye Bingling asked, a hint of surprise in her voice. Earlier, when Zhou Yuan had established the Genesis Rune barrier, they had found it odd, as it wasn't merely the sound-concealing barrier he had claimed it to be. Now, it seemed this barrier was actually a trap Zhou Yuan had carefully laid.

Zhou Yuan chuckled, "When you've offended someone, it's always wise to be cautious, isn't it?" He certainly wouldn't admit that Chi Jing had warned him, as that would undoubtedly expose their relationship and lead to unnecessary complications.

Ye Bingling nodded, not giving it much further thought. As she looked down at the unfolding scene, she felt a strong sense of satisfaction. "Fang Ao probably thought he could sit back and watch us battle the Heavenly Annihilation Beast, then step in as the 'fisherman.' He never expected to be dragged into the conflict himself..." The others couldn't help but chuckle. Fang Ao and his group must be feeling utterly humiliated and frustrated right now.

"This works out well for us," Xiao Hong commented. "The Heavenly Annihilation Beast's injuries are less severe than we anticipated. Having Fang Ao's group take the initial assault is a clear advantage for us." Zhou Yuan nodded, his gaze fixed on the intense battle below. The Heavenly Annihilation Beast's attacks were exceptionally fierce. If the conflict continued at this rate, Fang Ao's group would soon suffer casualties and begin to dwindle in numbers. Zhou Yuan, however, felt no sympathy, his eyes gleaming with cold resolve. He knew that Fang Ao had followed them secretly with malicious, even murderous, intent. Had it not been for Senior Sister Chi Jing's protection, how could he, as the Master of the Wind Pavilion, possibly contend with someone like Lu Xiao, who possessed the formidable backing of the Celestial Spirit Sect within the Heaven Abyss Mystical Cave? Without Senior Sister Chi Jing's timely warning, he might very well have fallen victim to Lu Xiao and Fang Ao's schemes this time. If they had been utterly exhausted from battling the Heavenly Annihilation Beast, Fang Ao would have appeared with a smile, and Zhou Yuan's own fate would undoubtedly have been grim. Since his opponents were no longer holding back, he had no interest in playing the role of a benevolent hero. Therefore, this time, Fang Ao had to die! Even if the Heavenly Annihilation Beast failed to kill him, Zhou Yuan would ensure his demise. As for the repercussions of such an act, Zhou Yuan had no intention of dwelling on them. Fang Ao was the one who had violated the rules, so no matter how Zhou Yuan responded, he would be fully justified.

Zhou Yuan stood with his arms crossed, his gaze cold as he watched Fang Ao, whose face was ashen, directing his forces in battle against the Heavenly Annihilation Beast below. He knew that while Fang Ao was the one present today, with his limited intellect, he likely couldn't have devised such a scheme. The true mastermind, therefore, had to be Lu Xiao. No matter. First, he would sever Lu Xiao's right arm, and then, in due time, he would deal with Lu Xiao himself!