Chapter 987: Eliminating Zhao Muchen

A ten-thousand-foot-long gash tore across the plain, a stark and hideous scar on what was once as smooth and flawless as a beauty's jade-like face. It was an eyesore.

The entire world was silent.

Countless eyes stared blankly at the end of the deep gash, where Zhao Mu Shen's body lay, covered in blood, his breath faint and shallow. The heroic confidence he had displayed just moments ago, when he was on the verge of breaking through to the Heavenly Sun Stage, was completely gone, replaced by an utterly wretched state.

No one had expected Zhao Mu Shen's breakthrough to culminate in such a result.

He had been directly kicked away by Zhou Yuan, his breakthrough forcibly interrupted.

And that single kick had undoubtedly marked the end of the final confrontation at this Nine Regions Grand Meeting.

As those gazes fell upon Zhou Yuan, who stood still in his original spot, a sense of awe gradually swelled within them. Even defiant individuals like Wang Xi wore complicated expressions, their eyes filled with immense apprehension.

Because they all knew that from this moment onward, the reigning Divine Dwellings King of Hunyuan Heaven had been defeated, and a Divine Dwellings legend would rise to take his place.

This succession wasn't achieved through any scheme; facing Zhou Yuan, who now seemed to have shattered the limits of the Divine Dwellings Stage, no one dared to question his power any longer.

His earlier feat of tearing apart the Origin Qi barrier, formed by the combined might of Zhao Mu Shen, Wu Yao, and Su Youwei, was proof enough.

At this point, Zhou Yuan could likely defeat Zhao Mu Shen and the other two even if he fought them all alone.

In the silent world, around Zhao Mu Shen's motionless body, space suddenly began to ripple and warp, eventually forming a vortex that swiftly swallowed his entire form.

Witnessing this, countless spectators were once again left speechless.

This was because it signified that Zhao Mu Shen's injuries were too severe, triggering the mark within him, which in turn generated a spatial vortex that expelled him directly from the Abyssal Demise. In short, he had been eliminated.

Zhao Mu Shen, who was initially the strongest contender for first place, had been eliminated by Zhou Yuan.

This outcome sent tremors through countless hearts. Who could have imagined that Zhao Mu Shen, who had reigned supreme in the Divine Dwellings Stage of Hunyuan Heaven for so many years, would suffer such a defeat here?

"Impossible..."

At the Myriad Ancestors Territory's section, everyone was utterly dejected.

Liu Qingshu, in particular, looked distraught, her voice turning shrill: "How can this be! How could Senior Brother lose? It's all Zhou Yuan's fault! He didn't dare wait for Senior Brother to complete his breakthrough; this is unfair!"

However, her fellow Myriad Ancestors Territory team members could not bring themselves to agree with her outburst. They sensed the contempt in the eyes of participants from other territories who had overheard her words.

A defeat was a defeat, yet Liu Qingshu was still scrambling for excuses.

Why would anyone foolishly wait for you to successfully complete a breakthrough? Did she truly believe this Nine Regions Grand Meeting was just a child's game of make-believe? Here, even death was a perfectly normal occurrence!

If something could be resolved with a single kick, why complicate matters? That wasn't confidence; that was sheer foolishness!

After her words, Liu Qingshu shut her mouth under the weight of those scornful gazes. Her hands clenched into fists, her teeth gritted; this outcome was simply unbearable.

She could even have accepted Zhao Mu Shen's defeat at the hands of Wu Yao or Su Youwei, but she simply could not stomach the idea that the one who vanquished Zhao Mu Shen was that infuriating Zhou Yuan!

Ultimately, it stemmed from the superior attitude she had always adopted when facing Zhou Yuan. After all, she was a prodigy of the Myriad Ancestors Territory and boasted such a formidable Senior Brother. And Zhou Yuan? He was merely from the declining Heaven Abyss Territory, with no prior accomplishments to his name.

These were all the reasons Liu Qingshu had for looking down on Zhou Yuan. Yet, she could never have anticipated that the very person she dismissed would, with a single kick, utterly shatter her pride and drag it through the mud.

However, no matter how difficult she found it to accept, the undeniable truth lay before her, leaving no room for even a shred of doubt.

In the distance, Yuan Kun rubbed his plump face, looking equally stunned. He then turned to Jiu Gong, chuckling, "It seems the Divine Dwellings Stage of Hunyuan Heaven is about to see a major shift, don't you think?"

He knew that Jiu Gong had held Zhao Mu Shen in extremely high regard, so this outcome must have been a significant shock to her.

Jiu Gong's expression was indeed complex. As an assessor for the Divine Dwellings Ranking, she had practically witnessed Zhou Yuan's ascent firsthand, as he forged one astonishing achievement after another, ultimately rising from complete obscurity to become renowned throughout Hunyuan Heaven.

And now, Zhou Yuan had even surpassed the limits of the Divine Dwellings Stage, decisively defeating Zhao Mu Shen.

From this day forward, it was unlikely anyone would dare to underestimate him again.

"I'm quite curious now: when he enters the Heavenly Sun Stage, what kind of ripples will he create on the Heavenly Sun Ranking?" Jiu Gong murmured softly. After this Nine Regions Grand Meeting, it was probable that all these top prodigies would begin their breakthroughs in succession. The Divine Dwellings Ranking would welcome new blood, while they, in turn, would continue their battles on the higher-level Heavenly Sun Stage.

Currently, the majority of those on the Heavenly Sun Ranking were the top prodigies from the previous generation of various territories. They were more experienced, dominating the list. If the Divine Dwellings Ranking represented the 'junior' fresh blood for each territory, then the Heavenly Sun Ranking was indeed the 'senior' fresh blood.

As for the Nascent Source Ranking, that represented the true first-tier combat power of each territory.

The Dharma Domain had no ranking because simply entering it meant one was already a formidable titan.

Yuan Kun nodded in profound agreement, saying, "Those older generation prodigies on the Heavenly Sun Ranking have always looked down on us, viewing our struggles as child's play. If Zhou Yuan shatters their established order right upon entering the Heavenly Sun Stage, that would truly be entertaining."

His gaze then shifted back to the pinnacle of the oldest stone statue. He sighed, "But such an outcome... who could have possibly foreseen it?"

Yuan Kun chuckled. "That's why I say my judgment is good. I didn't clash with Zhou Yuan; instead, I even cooperated with him. Just look at Xu Ming and Zhao Mu Shen; both ended up miserably eliminated. I've noticed that those who oppose him never seem to come to a good end..."

At his smug expression, Jiu Gong could only roll her eyes.

Zhou Yuan, too, gazed at Zhao Mu Shen's vanishing form. His opponent had indeed been a formidable and tricky foe. If Zhou Yuan hadn't taken a dangerous gamble this time, pushing himself to break through his limits, the ultimate outcome of their battle truly would have been uncertain.

Regardless of how perilous the process, fortunately, he was ultimately victorious.

"So," Zhou Yuan murmured to himself, "it seems my Saint Dragon Qi Luck is superior to your Taotie Qi Luck after all."

He smiled faintly, then turned around, his figure flickering as he appeared before Su Youwei.

"How are you? Are you alright?" he asked with a smile.

Su Youwei gazed at him with a warm smile. "Congratulations, Your Highness, on bravely securing first place among the Nine Regions."

Given the current situation—Zhao Mu Shen eliminated, and both she and Wu Yao depleted of Origin Qi, needing time to recover—it was clear that this most ancient stone statue now rightfully belonged to Zhou Yuan.

Seeing Zhou Yuan shine so brilliantly in Hunyuan Heaven, Su Youwei rejoiced for him from the bottom of her heart. In her view, with Zhou Yuan's talent, he was destined to become the brightest star, drawing the gaze and admiration of all.

In the past, she had always believed Zhou Yuan capable, even if others doubted. But now, it was unlikely that anyone would ever question Zhou Yuan's abilities again.

"I suppose I inadvertently snatched your title as the Divine Dwellings Stage's top Origin Qi user," Zhou Yuan joked.

Su Youwei pursed her red lips, a soft smile gracing them as her bright eyes remained fixed on Zhou Yuan. Then, she subtly tilted her head towards another direction. "That's a minor detail. For now, you have another matter to attend to."

Zhou Yuan's gaze followed hers, landing on Wu Yao, who stood not far away in a vibrant red dress, her exquisite features composed and unruffled.

Zhou Yuan paused in thought for a moment, then walked towards Wu Yao.

He gazed at the strikingly beautiful yet sharp face before him and slowly stated, "Wu Yao, I've come to reclaim what is mine."