Chapter 920: Xu Ming

A noticeable silence fell over the surroundings the moment Zhou Yuan's voice faded, and astonishment flickered in many eyes. No one had anticipated such a resolute stance from Zhou Yuan.

They had initially believed Zhou Yuan would opt for a peaceful resolution. After all, the Tianyuan Region was currently the weakest among the nine regions. With the Nine Regions Grand Meeting about to commence, directly offending the Yaokui Region now would undoubtedly lead to retaliation against the Tianyuan Region's forces once they entered the Fallen Abyss. This would not be a wise move for the Tianyuan Region.

Qiu Jiu and his companions were momentarily taken aback, before their expressions turned suddenly grim. "Chief Pavilion Master Zhou Yuan," Qiu Jiu stated, "are you attempting to wage war against my Yaokui Region?"

Ignoring him, Zhou Yuan turned his head to glance at Lu Xiao and the others. "Move," he commanded.

Lu Xiao and the others were indeed startled by Zhou Yuan's forceful demeanor. They had initially thought he was joking, but the look in his eyes now suggested he was completely serious.

"You're the Chief Pavilion Master, your word is law," Lu Xiao said with a wave of his hand.

The next instant, over a dozen late Divine Dwelling experts surged forward like wolves, charging directly at Qiu Jiu and his group. Genesis Qi erupted at the manor entrance. Qiu Jiu's group, numbering only four, was quickly encircled. His face was ashen as he roared, "Zhou Yuan, have you lost your mind? Do you believe that once my Yaokui Region enters the Fallen Abyss, we'll wipe you all out directly?"

Yet, in the face of his threats, Zhou Yuan remained expressionless and unmoved.

A dozen breaths later, Qiu Jiu and his three companions were captured, looking utterly disheveled. Despite their predicament, they showed no fear. Instead, they stared fiercely at Zhou Yuan, a grim smile twisting Qiu Jiu's lips. "Very well, Chief Pavilion Master of Tianyuan Region," he sneered, "do you intend for your Tianyuan Region to suffer heavy losses this time?"

Zhou Yuan nudged a pebble with his foot. Enveloped in Genesis Qi, it shot forward and slammed into Qiu Jiu's mouth. A cry of pain escaped him, and his mouth immediately filled with blood.

"Release one of them to notify Xu Ming," Zhou Yuan stated calmly. "If he doesn't appear in five minutes, strip them naked and hang them at the city gates."

One of the captured individuals was immediately released. He gave Zhou Yuan a fierce, resolute look before turning and darting away.

A profound silence settled over the manor entrance. Even the countless distant onlookers, whose gazes were fixed on the scene, registered a hint of shock. Zhou Yuan was acting so assertively; did he not fear offending the Yaokui Region and Xu Ming? Was he intending to provoke an immediate confrontation with the Yaokui Region right here?

"Tsk tsk, this is going to be a spectacle," someone muttered. "Xu Ming is arrogant and holds grudges. Given how Zhou Yuan treated his men, this might not end well today!"

"Quickly, spread the word!"

News spread rapidly throughout the majestic Fallen City. In a short time, countless whooshing sounds filled the air as people rushed toward the main gate of the Nine Regions Manor. No one had expected that a major spectacle would unfold even before the Nine Regions Grand Meeting had officially commenced.

Zhou Yuan stood calmly at the manor's entrance. Behind him, the two thousand members of the Four Pavilions wore grim expressions. Zhou Yuan's decisive actions had even instilled a sense of excitement in them, as no one wished to endure humiliation. Since their Chief Pavilion Master was so formidable, they were content to simply follow his command.

The commotion at the Nine Regions Manor's main gate not only spread throughout the Fallen City, but also drew the attention of those in the towering buildings within the Manor itself, who cast their gazes from a distance.

From the towering building where the Myriad Ancestors Region was situated, Zhao Mu Shen stood with one hand behind his back, his gaze fixed on the manor entrance, observing the entire conflict unfold. Behind him stood Liu Qingshu, a woman in green with a captivating beauty. She smiled and commented, "I hear the Chief Pavilion Master of the Tianyuan Region is quite displeased that the Yaokui Region occupied their pavilion."

"It appears this Chief Pavilion Master from the Tianyuan Region has quite a formidable temper."

Zhao Mu Shen replied, "The Tianyuan Region is the weakest. If they show weakness, others will seize the opportunity to press on. However, by displaying such ferocity, they might instead instill a degree of apprehension in others. This Chief Pavilion Master of the Tianyuan Region possesses some cunning."

Liu Qingshu pursed her lips slightly. "But unfortunately, Xu Ming is not easily intimidated," she said. "Zhou Yuan has chosen the wrong target; he might very well make a spectacle of himself today."

"If he can't control the situation, the Tianyuan Region will become a laughingstock before the Nine Regions Grand Meeting even begins."

Zhao Mu Shen nodded faintly, his indifferent gaze directed toward the young figure standing at the forefront of the thousands at the manor entrance. This Zhou Yuan, so utterly dominant—was he truly capable, or merely bluffing? If it was the former, then there might be some interest. If it was the latter, then as Liu Qingshu suggested, he would likely suffer a complete loss of face today. Because while he was fierce, Xu Ming was even fiercer.

In another towering building, Wu Yao's phoenix-like eyes narrowed slightly as she gazed towards the manor entrance. She fixated on the familiar figure, feeling the Holy Dragon Qi surging within her.

"This Zhou Yuan, he truly is audacious..."

Her phoenix eyes flickered, and her delicate form suddenly moved, vanishing into thin air.

"I've come to see just how much you've progressed."

"Heh, what a spectacle."

Xue Jingtao smiled as he looked into the distance, surrounded by many figures, all wearing expressions of anticipation for the unfolding drama. They were, of course, aware that Xu Ming had led his group to occupy the Tianyuan Region's pavilion. However, they had assumed that even if the Tianyuan Region knew, they would simply endure it, as offending the Yaokui Region would yield no benefits for them. Who could have predicted that Zhou Yuan, the Chief Pavilion Master of the Tianyuan Region, would be so unyielding and assertive, even detaining Xu Ming's people? Given Xu Ming's disposition, he would certainly not let this matter rest today.

"Zhou Yuan is still too arrogant," Xue Jingtao said, shaking his head with a hint of mockery in his eyes. "Does he truly believe that defeating Chen Xuandong makes him worthy of standing alongside the top eight true Heaven's Chosen?"

"Where is Junior Sister Youwei?" He suddenly looked around, asking with a touch of confusion.

The other disciples also shook their heads, puzzled. "She was just here a moment ago..." they replied.

Within the Nine Regions Manor, countless eyes, eager for a spectacle, converged on the manor entrance. At the main entrance, Zhou Yuan's expression remained impassive, as if he were oblivious to the fact that he had become the focal point of all attention.

Qiu Jiu wiped the blood from his mouth. His teeth were shattered, making it impossible for him to speak, but his eyes, brimming with icy malice, were fixed on Zhou Yuan.

Suddenly, countless eyes turned toward the interior of the Nine Regions Manor. There, hundreds of figures shot through the air, descending like a deluge to land on the clusters of large trees near the main entrance. At the very front, a figure slowly descended, an astonishing surge of Genesis Qi subtly emanating around him. Countless eyes were drawn to the figure at the forefront: a gaunt young man dressed in black, with strings of beads adorning his wrists and neck. His gaze was sinister, and an unmistakable aura of gloom hung about his brows.

He landed atop a tree, his cold, sharp gaze sweeping across the manor entrance before finally resting on Zhou Yuan. His eyes narrowed slightly, and a faint voice drifted down.

"Release the prisoners, then apologize to Qiu Jiu, and I'll consider this matter concluded."