Chapter 985: ?Breaking One Hundred Million

As Zhou Yuan stood on the ground, his body drenched in blood and his face contorted, countless gazes fell upon his unusual state. Their expressions immediately shifted to surprise and uncertainty, clearly at a loss as to what he was doing.

Only Wu Yao and Su Youwei, also on the plain, could sense that the Genesis Qi within Zhou Yuan's body seemed to be surging dramatically once more.

In the void behind him, the countless Genesis Qi stars astonishingly began to ascend at a slow pace!

Both girls' delicate faces subtly changed, evidently having guessed Zhou Yuan's intention.

He actually wanted to break through the limit, to push his Genesis Qi foundation past one hundred million?!

What an incredibly bold, even mad, idea!

The increase in Genesis Qi stars finally became clear to countless observers, instantly igniting the atmosphere across the entire realm. Countless individuals gasped in shock.

They finally understood Zhou Yuan's intentions.

Countless people stared, dumbfounded and aghast. In their eyes, the sheer audacity of Zhou Yuan's actions was even more chilling than Zhao Mushen attempting to break through to the Heavenly Sun Stage amidst battle.

It was well known that throughout the history of Hunyuan Heaven, individuals who managed to push their Genesis Qi foundation past one hundred million in the Divine Palace Stage were incredibly rare, true anomalies. In fact, many had come to believe that reaching such a level in the Divine Palace Stage was simply impossible.

Yet now, Zhou Yuan was set to brazenly challenge this impossibility before countless eyes!

"Is this guy insane?"

This was the thought echoing in everyone's minds.

Even the most elite Heaven's Chosen, such as Wang Xi, Li Tongshen, Jiugong, and Yuan Kun, wore expressions of disbelief.

Everyone's gaze was fixed intently on the void behind Zhou Yuan. At this moment, they were no longer particularly concerned about whether Zhao Mushen would succeed in his breakthrough. Even if Zhao Mushen truly advanced to the Heavenly Sun Stage and became a Glazed Heavenly Sun, many believed it would pale in comparison to Zhou Yuan managing to break the one-hundred-million Genesis Qi foundation limit in the Divine Palace Stage.

While a Glazed Heavenly Sun was indeed astonishing and brilliant, it wasn't utterly unparalleled in the current era. However, surpassing one hundred million in the Divine Palace Stage was truly a once-in-a-millennium feat, seemingly confined to legends.

Liu Qingshu watched this scene, her expression shifting before she gritted her teeth and declared, "He's just trying to show off!"

She refused to believe Zhou Yuan could accomplish such a legendary feat!

In her view, Zhou Yuan was merely attempting to steal Zhao Mushen's thunder through this method. However, she found this approach utterly ridiculous, believing that the moment Zhou Yuan failed, his arrogance and hubris would become a universal laughingstock!

Under the intense scrutiny of countless gazes across the realm, the void behind Zhou Yuan subtly rippled, and the Genesis Qi stars began to multiply.

The increase was not rapid, but it proceeded at a slow yet unwavering pace.

Currently, Zhou Yuan's Genesis Qi stars were just under ten thousand short of one hundred million. Yet, bridging this gap of several thousand stars required a seemingly despair-inducing amount of Genesis Qi. Fortunately, Zhou Yuan possessed extraordinary opportunities: the Earth Saint Rune and the Law Domain remains hidden deep within the stone statue.

One thousand... three thousand... six thousand...

With the condensation and manifestation of each new Genesis Qi star, countless exclamations erupted throughout the realm.

Even Zhao Mushen, still within the Genesis Qi barrier, had veins throbbing on his forehead. Though he maintained a direct gaze, his peripheral vision constantly flickered through the barrier, observing Zhou Yuan's distant position.

"That scoundrel..."

Zhao Mushen clenched his fists, but immediately forced himself to avert his gaze. He couldn't afford to be distracted, lest he fall into Zhou Yuan's scheme; that fellow was likely trying to sabotage his breakthrough!

Breaking through one hundred million in Genesis Qi foundation—how could that be easy?!

As long as he calmly completed his own breakthrough, Zhou Yuan's endeavor would amount to nothing more than a farce.

"Seven thousand eight hundred..."

"Eight thousand five hundred!"

"Nine thousand three hundred!"

Throughout the starry sky, gasps of astonishment echoed one after another, as countless stunned gazes fixed upon the dazzling Genesis Qi stars in the void behind Zhou Yuan.

Finally, amidst trembling murmurs, the Genesis Qi stars reached ninety-nine million nine hundred ninety-nine thousand.

At this point, Zhou Yuan's Genesis Qi foundation was just one single star shy of breaking past one hundred million!

Everyone watched this scene, their bodies trembling.

Even the Law Domain experts outside the Abyss of Falling Stars wore solemn expressions. At their cultivation level, these Divine Palace Stage juniors were akin to children, and their actions typically garnered little genuine attention.

But this time was different. Surpassing one hundred million Genesis Qi in the Divine Palace Stage was a feat that even they, though renowned in their own time, had never accomplished.

If Zhou Yuan could achieve it, it would be enough for these Law Domain experts to remember him well.

Under the convergence of countless gazes, as Zhou Yuan's Genesis Qi foundation reached the point where it was just one final star short of one hundred million, the growth completely stagnated. It felt as if no matter how vast and immense the Genesis Qi surging into Zhou Yuan's body, it simply couldn't breach that elusive barrier.

Countless people sighed inwardly, unable to discern whether their feeling was one of regret or relief.

That seemingly insignificant Genesis Qi star, however, formed an insurmountable chasm, inducing despair. Perhaps in the past, other proud Heaven's Chosen had also been halted by this very single Genesis Qi star.

Zhou Yuan's face, too, became severely contorted at this moment.

His entire mind was immersed within his Divine Palace, which was currently undergoing tumultuous, earth-shattering commotion.

Vast Genesis Qi transformed into a raging torrent, rampant within his Divine Palace. The Divine Palace became submerged, and the ensuing pressure was almost unbearable, with faint sounds of cracking beginning to emerge.

Excruciating pain surged through Zhou Yuan's body, threatening to tear him apart.

Zhou Yuan's mind focused on the ninety-nine million nine hundred ninety thousand Genesis Qi stars suspended within his Divine Palace, his heart brimming with fierce unwillingness. He refused to be stopped at this final hurdle!

But no matter how he urged his Genesis Qi, that final Genesis Qi star refused to condense. It felt as if an invisible shackles was restraining the Divine Palace's ultimate limit.

Breaking through that restraint was no longer something a mere abundance of Genesis Qi could accomplish.

"I won't give up!"

Zhou Yuan's roar reverberated through his Divine Palace.

"Last one, come forth!"

That roar contained immense resolve and conviction. As it reverberated, the sphere of light formed by the four Saint Runes within the Divine Palace seemed to be drawn by some unseen force. It began to vibrate intensely, and the four Saint Runes upon it each radiated a profound, mystical glow.

Even the perpetually enigmatic fourth Saint Rune began to tremble.

The sphere of light, formed by the four luminous patterns, emanated holy light. Ripples of this sacred light vibrated, causing the entire Divine Palace to shake violently. It was as if the sacred light ripples were fiercely clashing with an unseen restraint.

Zhou Yuan couldn't visually perceive that profound collision, yet he sensed that if he were to successfully condense that final Genesis Qi star, his only hope lay with this Saint Rune sphere of light!

"Four Saint Runes, help me!"

Zhou Yuan cried out in his mind.

He knew that these four Saint Runes, born from the "Cangxuan Sacred Seal," were ancient beyond measure and brimming with sentience. In terms of rank, even the four ancient Genesis Runes within the Four Spirits Return to Source Pagoda paled in comparison.

As if sensing Zhou Yuan's fervent plea, the Saint Rune sphere of light vibrated with increasing intensity, and the four Saint Runes erupted with an overwhelming torrent of holy light.

The Divine Palace continued to vibrate, and both sides seemed locked in a stalemate.

But Zhou Yuan was growing increasingly anxious, for his Divine Palace was in utter chaos. If this state persisted for too long, his Divine Palace itself would shatter, which for him, would be a true catastrophe!

"Four Saint Runes, push through!"

Amidst Zhou Yuan's fervent pleas, the Saint Rune sphere of light suddenly ceased its vibrations.

This cessation, however, lasted only for an instant. From within the Saint Rune sphere of light, an intensely brilliant radiance burst forth, so powerful it obscured all other fluctuations. The Genesis Qi, which had been raging like a torrent within the Divine Palace, astonishingly began to subside.

Zhou Yuan's mind remained fixed on the Saint Rune sphere of light. He couldn't be sure if it was an illusion, but he vaguely sensed something rotating within it.

The Saint Rune sphere of light, imbued with that mysterious power, then fiercely surged upwards and violently collided with the apex of the Divine Palace.

The point of impact appeared to be mere emptiness, yet in that instant, a subtle cracking sound seemed to echo.

Inside the Divine Palace, time itself seemed to momentarily freeze.

An endless cascade of light poured down. The flood-like Genesis Qi astonishingly began to evaporate, transforming into wisps of energy that ascended and finally gathered above the ninety-nine million nine hundred ninety-nine thousand Genesis Qi stars. What began as a faint shimmer ultimately erupted into brilliant radiance.

The one hundred millionth Genesis Qi star... had appeared!