Zhou Yuan’s lips were tightly pursed. No matter what, something should change when the last bit of Genesis Qi was gone.
With such thoughts in mind, Zhou Yuan stepped forward once more.
Step after step passed by under his feet.
Star after star in his Qi Dwelling began to disappear in quick succession...
Half an incense stick of time later, the final three hundred stars were nearly all gone.
Zhou Yuan’s foot paused on a stone step, his expression fluctuating indeterminately. The very last star in his Qi Dwelling had begun to slowly dim at this moment, before completely fading away.
All of his Genesis Qi was gone at this very moment.
In this moment, an endless feeling of powerlessness surged in his body, powerlessness that Zhou Yuan had not felt for a very long time...
Back when he had been incapable of opening his eighth meridian channels, this had been the same feeling that filled his body.
Power he had worked hard for many years to obtain had faded into oblivion at this very moment.
Zhou Yuan closed his eyes, and took in a deep breath, before opening them as he turned around to gaze at the long path behind him. He was silent for a moment, as a certain notion flowed through him.
If he were to return along the path, all his Genesis Qi would return to him.
However, it would also mean that he would fail the mountain trial.
Perhaps...
He should continue forward...
Zhou Yuan lifted his head to look at the path, still unable to find any traces of where it ended. He no longer had any Genesis Qi, which also caused the power in his physical body to begin weakening.
If he continued, he would undoubtedly have to bear an increasingly growing burden. Would his Genesis Qi eventually return? It was a question he was incapable of answering.
So what choice would he make?
Zhou Yuan stood there in silence for a long time, as the hesitation in his eyes slowly faded away.
“Does it matter whether this is real or fake? I had not given up even when I was unable to open my eighth meridian channels. Even if I do lose my Genesis Qi, I can always cultivate it back!”
“At the very least, I still possess the ability to cultivate.”
“Didn’t I manage to wait for the light even when I was so lost back then? What is all this in comparison?”
A resolute look emerged in Zhou Yuan’s eyes. Next, he lifted his now heavy foot once again without the slightest shred of hesitation, and firmly placed it on the next step.
Even without Genesis Qi, there was no way he would give up!
What was needed on the road of cultivation was the courage to boldly press forward. If one was constantly afraid of even the slightest of things, it would be a tall order to succeed on this path.
One’s heart needed to be firm and unwavering, before one could achieve success.
Zhou Yuan’s figure slowly began to climb the mountain path. Although every step was difficult and heavy, each one grew increasingly clear, no longer containing any of the hesitation or fear from before.
In their place, was an unshakable determination.
His foot was raised time and time again, even though each movement felt as heavy as a mountain.
While Zhou Yuan struggled step by step, he did not see the dazzling rays of light that suddenly shot out from the ancient stone path behind him.
Step after step began to fade away, transforming into strands of light that rose into the sky.
Golden light danced in the air behind him, before dashing towards the slowly climbing figure, and pouring into his body.
Zhou Yuan’s body jolted violently.
He finally sensed something and jerked his head around, and saw the golden light dancing in the air like birds darting through the woods as it rushed into his body.
The Genesis Qi stars that had originally disappeared from his Qi Dwelling began to appear one after another, emitting a radiant glow.
Vigorous Genesis Qi filled his body once more.
The feeling of power had finally returned!
Zhou Yuan’s face glowed brightly, a relieved smile appearing as if a heavy burden had been lifted from his shoulders. He had finally understood. The mountain trial had been testing his heart.
An ordinary person would have definitely felt panic and fear upon losing all their head earned Genesis Qi, something that even Zhou Yuan was no exception to.
However, what would one do in such a situation?
Would one give up on advancing, and become cautious and conservative, or would one continue pressing forward with courage?
Genesis Qi was not the most important factor to become truly powerful, but a persevering and unwavering heart. Because when one possessed the latter, the former would naturally always come back.
Though the loss of his Genesis Qi had been brief, it was a form of training that had been deeply etched into his heart.
Zhou Yuan closed his eyes as the long stone path behind him slowly disappeared. Golden light gracefully danced in the air as it streamed into his body, only gradually coming to a stop after some time.
When all of the golden light had entered his body, Zhou Yuan turned his senses inwards for a moment, as his eyes abruptly opened, revealing pleasant surprise.
At this very moment, the number of dazzling Genesis Qi stars in his Qi Dwelling had soared to five thousand!
In addition, every star shined brightly and stably, no sign that they had been hastily formed.
His Genesis Qi cultivation had grown a thousand stars in such a short period!
This was basically equivalent to months of training for Zhou Yuan!
It was evidently a reward for passing the test.
The smile that hung from the corners of Zhou Yuan’s mouth widened substantially. The suffering and fear he had experienced earlier had not been in vain.
The mist around him began to ripple as the robotic voice that belonged to old Xuan echoed once again.
“First of the three trials, pass.”
When this voice sounded, Zhou Yuan saw the long stone path below his feet start to fade away as the world around him gradually changed.
He did not panic as he stood there, waiting for the change to complete.
Zhou Yuan raised his head, and observed the warping world around him. So this was only the first trial. It was definitely extremely strange and dangerous, and it was no surprise that so many chief disciples had failed.
However, if the first trial was already so difficult, what should he do about the next two?
While in this focused and alert state, the shifting scenery around him finally stopped moving.
Yet another immense change had occurred to the world around him.
Chapter 490 The Tyrannical Divine Grindstone
When focus returned to Zhou Yuan, a tremendous change had occurred to his surroundings.
The misty mountain path had disappeared, and in its place was an endless yellow desert. He was currently standing on a dune, while heat rippled around him, making even the surrounding Genesis Qi appear rather vexed.
A golden sun burned high in the sky, strand after strand of its golden rays pouring onto the ground.
“Is this the second trial?” Mumbled Zhou Yuan as he gazed at the yellow desert.
“I wonder what the test is this time.”
While Zhou Yuan was thinking out loud, the golden rays of sunlight from the sky landed on his body. However, no change could be felt in his physical body or Genesis Qi.
“Not the body or Genesis Qi..”
“Then…”
Zhou Yuan’s eyes narrowed slightly before he could finish his sentence. He had felt a burning pain from the Spirit between his brows, as if it had been placed onto a burning stove.
“The trial is targeting the Spirit…”
Zhou Yuan quickly sat down, and formed a seal with his hands. Genesis Qi surged out, creating a protective layer around his body in an attempt to d
efend against the golden sunlight.
However, it was clearly ineffective. The golden sunlight completely ignored his Genesis Qi defenses, easily penetrating his body to shine its rays on his Spirit.
Zhou Yuan dispersed the Genesis Qi, and began to focus on his Spirit, urging it to rise from between his brows and float in the air above.
Zhou Yuan’s Spirit had already stepped into the mid Corporeal stage, and looked no different from him, though it gave off a misty feeling as if it had no solid form.
His Spirit sat down in the air, fully concentrated as it released Spirit power to protect itself.
Golden sunlight continuously poured down, seemingly growing increasingly hot as time flowed by, while the burning pain felt by Zhou Yuan’s Spirit slowly intensified.
This continued until even the surface of his Spirit began to ripple.
Zhou Yuan’s expression was extremely grave. This was a very dangerous situation. If his Spirit were to reach its limit, it could possibly be destroyed, leaving his physical body an empty husk.
While he would also disappear from this world.
Due to the previous trial, Zhou Yuan knew that these trials were filled with danger, and the slightest slip may result in irreparable damage.
“The golden sun in the sky appears to be slowly shrinking…”
Zhou Yuan was carefully observing the changes around him, while he endured the burning pain, and he had just discovered that the golden sun was gradually shrinking.
“Is this a test of whether I will be able to last until the golden sun shrinks and eventually disappears?”
Zhou Yuan fell into thought for a brief moment. In the end, he took in a deep breath. Since that was the case, he just had to stubbornly endure till it was over.
Invisible halos pulsed around Zhou Yuan’s Spirit. These halos were made from his Spirit power, and continuously dissolving as they clashed with the golden sunlight...
However, just as he resolved himself to persevere through the pain, he suddenly felt a violent shudder from his Spirit.
“What’s going on?!” Zhou Yuan was immediately alarmed. Had his Spirit reached its limit so soon? How could it be? It was at the mid Corporeal stage!
Zhou Yuan hurriedly concentrated, and quickly sensed a mysterious light flickering between the brows of his Spirit, as a boundless noise began to emerge.
A noise akin to grinding stone.
A brand appeared between his Spirit’s brows, shaped exactly like a divine grindstone.
“It’s the divine grindstone brand master Cang Yuan left me…”
It was the existence of this brand that enabled Zhou Yuan to practice the Primal Chaos Divine Grindstone Visualisation Method. But Zhou Yuan had not activated it, so why had it suddenly appeared?
Bzz! Bzz!
The divine grindstone brand began to vibrate as a circle of light erupted. The circle swept outwards, blowing up the sand as the surroundings rapidly began to change.
The desert disappeared, replaced by an endless starry sky.
However, the giant golden run was still suspended high up in the sky, emitting its golden rays.
Rumble!
Zhou Yuan’s Spirit stood within the starry sky, as a loud noise echoed from the darkness behind it. Next, an endless shadow loomed over the entire space, as an abyssal primal chaos divine grindstone slowly emerged along with a boundless pressure.
However, the grindstone was not heading towards Zhou Yuan, but the giant golden sun.
It was as if a giant dragon had discovered a feral wild beast that had entered into its territory, and was proceeding to exterminate the trespasser.
Zhou Yuan was a little speechless as he awkwardly scratched his head.
The golden sun seemed to have angered the divine grindstone brand?
The primal chaos divine grindstone slowly rotated across the starry sky, as its infinite mass descended upon the golden sun.
The golden sun seemed to sense that it was being challenged, causing its spreading golden rays to abruptly spike in intensity, turning into a cloak of golden flames around it that began burning the approaching grindstone.
Zhou Yuan’s Spirit could feel a dangerous sensation from the golden flames.
However, the primal chaos divine grindstone was not the least bit impressed. It continued its slow but unstoppable crushing motion, allowing the golden flames to burn as they pleased. The immovable giant grindstone turned, extinguishing every last wisp of golden fire.
Zhou Yuan’s jaw hung from his mouth. The divine grindstone brand was really something… and to think that even the golden sun of this trial was unable to stop it. Come on… the latter was something left behind by patriarch Cang Xuan back then...
The grindstone slowly rolled across the sky, arriving in front of the giant golden sun. As the divine grindstone turned, the two bizarre entities ferociously collided.
Boom!
A shockwave violently rippled through the fabric of space, causing the entire sky to appear as if it were about to shatter.
The light of the golden sun grew dimmer and dimmer, clearly unable to withstand the crushing force from the divine grindstone. In the end, both entities seem to shudder for a moment, before the grindstone pushed through and the golden sun shattered to pieces...
The starry sky and divine grindstone began to fade, as a desert reappeared around Zhou Yuan.
Zhou Yuan dazedly stared at the sky, where the shattered remains of the golden sun drifted, no longer able to emit its scorching golden rays...
He scratched his head, a little out of it as he mumbled to himself, “Is this… considered a pass?”
This trial should have been a test of Spirit tenacity, but even Zhou Yuan himself would not have imagined that the divine grindstone brand in his Spirit would be so easily irritable and tyrannical. It seemed to have been drawn out by the presence of the golden sun, and smashed it to pieces in an annoyed manner.
With the golden sun now gone, would he be able to proceed with the test?
Zhou Yuan stared at the empty sky, feeling rather lost for a time.
Chapter 491 Golden Light Stream
Zhou Yuan stood on a dune in an endless desert, a blank look on his face as he gazed upon the peaceful land around him, while feeling rather lost inside.
The golden sun in the sky had already been smashed to bits by the divine grindstone, taking away the burning pain his Spirit had felt. Everything now felt extremely serene.
Zhou Yuan scratched his head. Compared to the difficulty of the previous trial, this trial felt as if it had ended even before it began...
Bzz bzz!
While Zhou Yuan smiled bitterly, a strange noise suddenly sounded from the sky. He raised his head to look, and found a stream of golden light descending from above as it swiftly approached him.
The stream of golden light flowed like water, arriving in front of Zhou Yuan.
“What is this?” Zhou Yuan stared in wonder at the golden stream. His Spirit had begun to tremble violently the moment it had appeared, releasing a feeling of extreme desire.
As if it could not wait to devour the former.
Zhou Yuan had a certain feeling that if he absorbed the golden light, his Spirit cultivation, which had remained stuck for half a year, would begin to progress once more, and soar straight to the advanced Corporeal stage!
“Is this golden light the remnants of the shattered golden sun from earlier?”
Zhou Yuan licked his lips. He quickly retrieved a jade bottle, and began collecting the strange liquid-like golden light. Since he could not determine its origin for the time being, it would be best for him to bring it back for Yaoyao to inspect.
Moreover, it was neither the appropriate time nor place for him to attempt a Spirit cultivation breakthrough.
Golden light flowed into the transparent jade bottle, glittering dazzlingly as if it were gold.
Zhou Yuan carefully kept the bottle with a happy look in his eyes. He had not expected to receive such a surpris
ing gift...
Not long after keeping the golden light, the great desert began to tremble faintly.
“Second mountain trial, pass.”
A grand yet emotionless voice echoed across the place.
Upon hearing this voice, Zhou Yuan finally breathed a sigh of relief as if a heavy burden had been lifted from his shoulders. He had genuinely been afraid that he would fail the test due to breaking the golden sun. If that happened, he won’t even have a place to cry.
The desert started to distort as the voice continued to echo. After experiencing this phenomenon once, Zhou Yuan was quite calm as he silently stood and waited for the change to complete.
The final trial should be coming up next.
He should succeed once he passes it, right?
The sand retreated as the scenery before Zhou Yuan’s eyes transformed. He appeared to now be standing in a majestic ancient hall.
He did a quick 180, before his gaze paused in front of him, where three giant stone pillars towered. The pillars were mottled with the scars of time, and gave off an ancient aura.
Zhou Yuan’s gaze slowly moved upwards along the stone pillars, his eyes suddenly widening when he reached their peaks.
Three figures were seated atop these pillars.
Their eyes were tightly shut, their bodies completely still as if they were statues. They gave off no presence, as if they were inanimate puppets.
Words had been carved into the upper regions of the pillars.
“Heavenly Sun… Divine Dwelling… Alpha-Origin?”
Muttered Zhou Yuan. Did these words represent the strength of these three figures? The one on the left was a Heavenly Sun stage practitioner, the middle the Divine Dwelling stage, while the right one an Alpha-Origin.
“The third trial. Spin the needle in front of the three stone pillars to select your opponent.”
“You have two chances to spin, and are allowed to choose a new opponent.”
A robotic voice echoed in the hall.
“So that’s the test.”
Zhou Yuan’s expression turned a little ugly. He had not expected the third trial to be so frightening. Out of the three choices, only the Alpha-Origin would give him a chance at victory.
As for the other two, even without taking into account the Heavenly Sun stage, the Divine Dwelling stage would already be certain death for Zhou Yuan.
Dragon Prince Yuan c1-1251 Page 266