Chapter 953: ?Breaking Through the Formation

At the foot of the ice mountain, Yuan Kun watched Zhou Yuan’s figure, which had been circling the golden light barrier for a long time. He continuously wiped sweat from his chubby face with his sleeve, his small, narrow eyes betraying a hint of worry.

Although his mastery of source patterns was remarkably poor, he possessed a keen eye. He had personally experienced the power of this Ziwei Golden Light Barrier before; once caught inside, even with his strength, one would be rendered dizzy and disoriented. Had his own source energy not been so profound, he might well have been trapped within. This barrier was Jiu Gong’s proudest creation. Therefore, he wasn’t sure if Zhou Yuan could truly break this golden light barrier. If he failed, they might ultimately have to resort to brute force...

"Tch, that little wretch Jiu Gong is really going too far, trying to keep everything for herself!" Yuan Kun grumbled, curling his lips in displeasure. Just as his curse faded, a figure descended from the sky – it was Zhou Yuan.

Seeing this, Yuan Kun quickly asked, "Brother Zhou Yuan, how did it go?"

Zhou Yuan chuckled lightly, saying, "I believe I have a good grasp of it. Let’s give it a try."

Yuan Kun was immediately overjoyed, giving a thumbs-up. "Brother Zhou Yuan is dependable." Though he didn't know the exact success rate of Zhou Yuan's plan, it was certainly better than having no lead at all.

"Allow me to make some preparations," Zhou Yuan said. He then sat cross-legged to the side, waving his sleeve to produce numerous jade slips. Holding the Tianyuan Pen, he moved its tip, transforming it into streaks of source patterns that merged into the jade slips. Yuan Kun observed. To him, a complete novice in source patterns, Zhou Yuan's actions seemed profoundly impressive yet incomprehensible. He nodded, remarking to the people from the Beast Control Domain beside him, "Professional."

Half an incense stick later, Zhou Yuan had completed all preparations. He and Yuan Kun then gathered both of their respective teams.

"From both teams, dispatch your strongest elites, ten people per group, to follow me into the golden light barrier."

As his voice faded, both teams stirred slightly. Soon, figures emerged one after another, quickly forming groups. Zhou Yuan waved his sleeve, and the previously prepared jade slips flew out, hovering before each small group.

"Hold these jade slips," Zhou Yuan instructed. "Once inside the barrier, seal your divine souls. Otherwise, if the golden light touches you, your souls will be controlled, and you'll be completely at their mercy."

Upon hearing this, the elites exchanged glances, some hesitating. "But if we seal our divine souls," they voiced, "our perception of the outside world will become extremely dull, making it difficult to detect surprise attacks."

Zhou Yuan waved a dismissive hand. "It's fine," he said. "Just follow my commands."

The members of Tianyuan Domain naturally nodded without objection, as Zhou Yuan's prestige among them was more than sufficient. However, the elites from the Beast Control Domain were somewhat hesitant. They knew nothing of Zhou Yuan, and entrusting their lives to a stranger felt incredibly unsettling.

Seeing the hesitation among his subordinates, Yuan Kun's expression tightened. He glared at them fiercely. "A bunch of cowards," he scoffed. "Though Jiu Gong relies on that turtle shell to make herself impregnable, she doesn't truly want to offend us. Otherwise, if we simply stayed put and guarded this spot, their team wouldn't be able to go anywhere." His words were meant to assure the Beast Control Domain members not to worry too much; this was merely a contest of array-breaking. The opposing side wouldn't dare to completely fall out with them, so their tactics wouldn't be overly malicious. After Yuan Kun's scolding, the Beast Control Domain elites offered embarrassed smiles and dared not speak further.

Zhou Yuan smiled at Yuan Kun, acknowledging his trust.

Yuan Kun asked, "Do I not need to go in as well?"

Zhou Yuan mused for a moment. "As you just said," he replied, "this is merely about breaking the formation, not an actual battle against Jiu Gong. Your presence inside wouldn't be very significant, and it might even lead Jiu Gong to believe we're just relying on superior numbers. In that case, even if we break the array, she might not concede." He could sense that Jiu Gong's challenge for them to break through the barrier was primarily aimed at him. Though he had no idea why this never-before-met Heavenly Domain genius harbored a hint of provocation towards him, he was not intimidated by such a challenge. In terms of source pattern mastery, he refused to believe anyone could surpass him.

Despite Yuan Kun's chubby appearance, his mind was remarkably astute. He shared the same intuition, so he said no more, merely patting Zhou Yuan's shoulder. "Show that little wretch what you're made of," he urged.

Zhou Yuan smiled, saying little more. He moved, arriving before the golden light barrier, followed by dozens of teams. Zhou Yuan opened his palm, and threads of source energy light extended. One end of these threads connected to each team, while the other end branched towards various points within the golden light barrier.

"Follow the light and enter the barrier," Zhou Yuan reminded them gravely. "Once inside, do not act rashly. Keep hold of your jade slips, and follow my commands without deviation."

The dozens of teams nodded in response, then moved. With a whoosh of air, team after team plunged directly into the golden light barrier. Zhou Yuan looked up at the golden light barrier before him. The golden light reflected in his eyes, and he seemed to see a cold, aloof figure deep within, also watching him, her gaze filled with both challenge and scrutiny.

"So, you wish to gauge my skill..."

"Then I shall play along."

He smiled, no longer hesitating. He stepped forward, entering the golden light, and his figure was swallowed by it under the watchful eyes of Yuan Kun, Yi Qiushui, and the others behind him.

"So, they've finally entered..."

Within the golden light barrier, Xue Jingtao gazed at a particular spot. Jiu Gong had granted him some control over this barrier, meaning if Zhou Yuan intended to break the formation, he would first have to contend with Xue Jingtao. A cold glint flashed in Xue Jingtao's eyes. "Everyone listen," he commanded, "activate the golden light barrier! Unleash the 'Soul-Scattering Golden Light'! I want to turn all of them into dazed fools, completely at my mercy!" His voice, carried through the barrier, instantly reached the Zixiao Domain teams stationed at various nodes.

"Yes!"

Numerous responses echoed from various parts of the golden light barrier.

Buzz!

The next moment, the entire colossal golden light barrier erupted with brilliant light, and the ambient source energy surged wildly.

On the peak of the ice mountain, Jiu Gong sat elegantly cross-legged. A shimmering light screen formed before her, dotted with numerous points of light. She focused on one particular spot, muttering to herself, "He didn't even send Yuan Kun in?"

"That's quite a temperament and courage he has, but isn't he afraid of being overconfident?" She rested her elbows on her knees, propping her cheek in her palm, her expression languid.

"It seems Xue Jingtao also finds Zhou Yuan disagreeable. Is he trying to teach him a lesson using my golden light barrier?"

"Heh, very well. I'll just enjoy the show for now."

"Zhou Yuan, Zhou Yuan... if you can't even outsmart Xue Jingtao... I wonder how embarrassed Su Youwei would be if she found out?"