Chapter 944: 柳清淑, 赵云霄

When Zhou Yuan felt a layer of the ninth Divine Dwelling barrier dissolve, even with his usual composure, he was stunned on the spot, his eyes wide with ecstasy.

He had clearly not anticipated that the core Genesis Pearl of the Fallen Fiend would possess such a remarkable effect.

"This is truly a blessing in disguise," Zhou Yuan chuckled. Just moments before, he had been struggling with how to refine the peculiar ninth layer of his Divine Dwelling, and now, a core Genesis Pearl had appeared as if by magic.

While this item wasn't as immediately effective as the Divine Dwelling Limitless Fruit, it clearly had no usage limit. This implied that with a sufficient quantity, he could fully utilize its power to break through the ninth Divine Dwelling barrier.

In the lake, the twenty trapped Heaven Abyss Territory team members regained their freedom after the Fallen Fiend was slain. They all stumbled out, their faces pale. Others rushed to help them to their feet.

Zhou Yuan looked down into the lake. As the mist cleared, the water became transparent, revealing numerous brilliant Genesis Qi opportunities swimming within, like schools of fish.

Zhou Yuan looked up and instructed Yi Qiushui and the others, "Prepare to collect the Genesis Qi."

Cheers erupted all around, and the next moment, the continuous sound of splashing filled the air as people dove into the water.

Zhou Yuan soared onto a hill. He called Shang Xiaoling over and said, "Double the number of scouts from now on. If any traces of Fallen Fiends are discovered, report directly to me." Knowing the benefits of the Fallen Fiends, Zhou Yuan naturally wouldn't let them escape. In his view, the Fallen Fiend's allure at this moment surpassed that of ordinary Genesis Qi opportunities. Shang Xiaoling nodded and immediately set about her task.

Under the collective effort of the team, the Genesis Qi in the lake was completely harvested within the time it takes an incense stick to burn. Everyone wore expressions of delight, and the low morale previously caused by Zhao Mushen's pursuit had fully recovered.

Zhou Yuan continued to dispatch them to explore the small space, while he himself waited at their current location for updates. Over the next two days, Zhou Yuan's team thoroughly explored this small space. They discovered four areas abundant with Genesis Qi opportunities, collecting over two hundred strands in total. Beyond Genesis Qi, Zhou Yuan's primary interest lay in the Fallen Fiends. They located two more, obtaining two Fallen Genesis Pearls as anticipated, which further dissolved his ninth Divine Dwelling barrier. This rate of progress was significantly faster than Zhou Yuan could achieve by simply using his own Genesis Qi to wear down the barrier. This was certainly good news that boosted Zhou Yuan's spirits.

After thoroughly scouring the small space, leaving virtually nothing behind, Zhou Yuan finally led his satisfied team to a spatial rift on the third day, and they entered in single file.

This new space was characterized by howling winds, giving it a harsh appearance. Zhou Yuan stood atop a barren hill, his eyes slightly narrowed as he surveyed the newly entered small space. He carefully sensed the Genesis Qi concentration in the surroundings. After a moment, his brow twitched, and he remarked, "The Genesis Qi concentration in this small space is higher than in the previous two."

Beside him, Yi Qiushui nodded slightly, her expression grave. "That means the danger level will be higher, and we're more likely to encounter teams from the other eight territories." A small space with denser Genesis Qi generates more opportunities and also increases the likelihood of encountering other teams, leading to fiercer competition.

Zhou Yuan pondered for a moment, then looked at Shang Xiaoling and the others. "First, send out scouts to explore cautiously. If you encounter other teams, determine their identity and strength." Shang Xiaoling immediately agreed. She quickly selected around a hundred individuals, who then shot off in all directions like birds in flight. Zhou Yuan ordered the others to be on high alert, as he sensed that other teams were certainly present in this small space. If they proved hostile, his team would likely face a real battle—unless they were unlucky enough to encounter Zhao Mushen's team again—in which case, they would simply keep running. This thought brought a touch of helplessness to Zhou Yuan; it had been many years since he'd felt so consistently suppressed. However, he also saw it as motivation, urging him to pierce through the ninth Divine Dwelling as quickly as possible.

Zhou Yuan and his team waited for approximately an hour. Then, he saw more than a dozen streaks of light rapidly approaching from the distance, with Shang Xiaoling leading the way. Even from afar, he could perceive the solemnity on Shang Xiaoling's face. Zhou Yuan immediately waved his hand, and the hundreds of individuals behind him instantly tensed, ready for action.

Shang Xiaoling landed with her group and quickly came to Zhou Yuan's side. "There are indeed other teams in this small space, two in total," she reported. "One is led by Liu Qingshu from the Myriad Ancestors Territory, and the other by Zhao Yunxiao from the Martial God Territory."

"Liu Qingshu, Zhao Yunxiao," Zhou Yuan murmured. He repeated the names, the latter one particularly bringing a peculiar expression to his face. He remembered that name clearly; Zhao Yunxiao had secretly ambushed him back in the Great Wu capital when he met Wu Yao. There was certainly some lingering animosity. As for Liu Qingshu, he knew of her too. She held a considerable reputation and a high rank on the Divine Dwelling Leaderboard.

"We certainly seem destined to cross paths with the Myriad Ancestors Territory," Zhou Yuan chuckled. They had only entered three small spaces, and already two had led them to teams from that territory.

Shang Xiaoling continued, "Our scouts encountered their people, and they've already discovered us." She hesitated, then added, "Liu Qingshu and Zhao Yunxiao have also sent word, requesting that you, Chief Pavilion Master, meet with them to discuss the distribution of Genesis Qi opportunities within this small space."

Upon hearing this, Zhou Yuan replied, "Since they've extended an invitation, I'll go and see what they have to say."

Yi Qiushui asked with concern, "Could it be a trap?"

"You all stay vigilant. I'll go and meet them myself," Zhou Yuan said with a smile. "While Liu Qingshu and Zhao Yunxiao are not weak, they might be underestimating me if they think they can keep me here." In the current Fallen Abyss, excluding overall team strength, the only individuals Zhou Yuan would be truly wary of are those in the top few ranks. At the very least, Liu Qingshu and Zhao Yunxiao are not among them.

Having made his decision, he wasted no more time. With a wave of his hand, he was the first to soar into the sky. Behind him, his team of hundreds followed closely.

Half an hour later, Zhou Yuan gazed ahead. Amidst the howling winds, a series of hills stretched out, and at their highest point, two figures were faintly visible. Zhou Yuan then looked down to the base of the hills, where two teams, each numbering hundreds of people, were waiting.

Zhou Yuan gestured to Yi Qiushui and the others behind him. Immediately, his speed increased sharply, and after a dozen breaths, he slowly descended onto the hill. As he landed, the two individuals on the hill fixed their gazes on him.

Zhou Yuan's gaze landed on Liu Qingshu of the Myriad Ancestors Territory. She was an enchanting beauty, with an innocent countenance but a subtle hint of allure in her eyes. Yet, her look toward Zhou Yuan carried a clear, unconcealed arrogance.

Zhou Yuan then turned to Zhao Yunxiao, who wore a smiling expression, his eyes holding a hint of mockery.

"Tsk, tsk, Zhou Yuan," Zhao Yunxiao said with a smirk. "I never would have thought that after just a few years, you'd become the Chief Pavilion Master of the Heaven Abyss Territory. Quite surprising." His words, seemingly appreciative, were actually laced with sarcasm, implying that Zhou Yuan wouldn't hold his current position if he were in any of the other eight territories.

Zhou Yuan cast a glance at him and said indifferently, "A rat who loves to ambush. Back when I had just broken through to the Divine Dwelling stage, your sneak attacks couldn't faze me. It seems you haven't made much progress since then."

Zhao Yunxiao's eyes turned cold. "What arrogance!" he retorted.

Seeing the rising tension, Liu Qingshu immediately waved her hand. "Let's settle your personal grievances another time," she interjected. "Our purpose here is to discuss the allocation of Genesis Qi opportunities in this small space."

Zhou Yuan turned his gaze to Liu Qingshu. He could sense her underlying arrogance, but he paid it little mind. "How will we distribute it?" he asked.

Liu Qingshu smiled faintly. "We arrived first, so this small space has already been explored," she explained. "In total, nine Genesis Qi birthplaces have been discovered." She continued, "After deliberation, our Myriad Ancestors Territory will take four of them, the Martial God Territory three, and the remaining two will be for your Heaven Abyss Territory to collect." Her words were light, appearing to be a negotiation, yet her tone clearly indicated that the distribution had already been decided.

Zhao Yunxiao nodded, his eyes fixed on Zhou Yuan with a knowing smirk.

Liu Qingshu looked at Zhou Yuan, offering a sweet smile. "Chief Pavilion Master Zhou Yuan," she said, "with this arrangement, your Heaven Abyss Territory might be at a slight disadvantage. But it's first come, first served, and it's always better to maintain peace rather than resort to conflict that could harm our goodwill, wouldn't you agree?" Despite her sweet smile, her words clearly carried a hint of both warning and threat.

Zhou Yuan smiled and nodded. "Understood," he said.

A flicker of disdain crossed Liu Qingshu's eyes. However, the smile on Zhou Yuan's face quickly vanished. He said calmly, "Unfortunately, I'm just a crude person who enjoys a good fight. So, I'll be taking all nine of these Genesis Qi birthplaces. You won't get a single one."