Therefore, Zhou Yuan could be said to be walking on the tip of a knife, and his trip would be full of danger and risk.
Chapter 1013 Heavenly Fire Ancient Forest
An endless crimson mountain range stood southeast of Scarlet Flame City. From a distance, the mountain range resembled a blazing mountain with flames spreading endlessly. It was a spectacular sight.
This was the Heavenly Fire Ancient Forest.
It was a well-known resource point in the Tianyuan Region, and the resources there were the towering flame trees called Heavenly Fire Trees. The Heavenly Fire Trees were red-hot and rooted in the depths of the ground to draw up blazing Genesis Qi. Matured trees gave birth to Tree Spirit Essence, which was a very precious cultivation resource. If a Heavenly Sun expert could refine one, it could mysteriously strengthen one’s pure yang qi.
The top five forces all coveted such a mysterious resource, so when the war broke out, this strategic resource location was one of the main targets they wanted to capture.
The Tianyuan Region, however, wouldn’t easily give up the location. As a result, the Heavenly Fire Ancient Forest had turned into a huge battlefield, and both sides brought in countless experts to win this strategic location. The Heavenly Fire Ancient Forest had become a tragic war zone. Blood dyed the ancient forest red and made it more striking than before.
...
“Is this the Heavenly Fire Ancient Forest?”
Zhou Yuan stood atop a mountain, peering at the crimson forest coming into view on the horizon. The tall crimson trees in the forest resembled pillars that towered into the sky, and the extending crimson branches swaying in the wind looked like blazing flames.
The Genesis Qi grew increasingly hot.
Zhou Yuan circulated the Genesis Qi in his body and was surprised to find that his Genesis Qi had become more lively after integrating with the pure yang qi. A Heavenly Sun expert’s combat strength would greatly improve in this place. However, it was much more difficult for Divine Dwelling experts to withstand such an environment.
Zhou Yuan glanced at Yi Qiushui and Ye Bingling and saw their pretty faces were a little red. Genesis Qi roamed around their graceful bodies to protect them from the heat coming from the outside world.
It was clear that before the two integrated with pure yang qi, they couldn’t adapt to the pure scorching universe Genesis Qi.
Boom!
Berserk waves of Genesis Qi occasionally loomed out of the endless crimson forest. There had to be a battle happening.
Zhou Yuan could see a steady stream of teams charging in from the forest periphery, and the smell of war fire and blood assaulted his senses.
Yi Qiushui walked over to Zhou Yuan’s side, clasping a copper mirror. A stream of light bloomed from the mirror, forming a map in front of them. It was a map of the Heavenly Fire Ancient Forest.
“From the three targets you have chosen this time, we recommend starting with Zhang Zihao. He is the easiest to deal with among the three,” Yi Qiushui said, but her face was filled with fear and had turned solemn. After all, their targets were all intermediate purple-gold Heavenly Sun experts!
Yi Qiushui and the others were relieved to see his reaction because they were worried Zhou Yuan would insist on meeting the trickiest, Bei Gongqiao, first. They thought that perhaps meeting a powerful enemy like Zhao Zihao would make Zhou Yuan appreciate the tyrannical strength of the intermediate purple-gold Heavenly Sun stage and willingly give up on hunting down Bei Gongqiao.
“According to the real-time information given by the War Service Hall, Zhang Zihao should be in this area.”
Yi Qiushui flicked her slender fingers, and the map rapidly shrank. She then pointed to an area of the Heavenly Fire Ancient Forest.
Zhou Yuan gently nodded. “If we meet other enemies on the way, can we kill them?”
Yi Qiushui and the others were taken aback. He has such strong killing intent. Does he intend to kill along the way? Where does he get his confidence from?
Ye Bingling shook her head, saying, “It isn’t recommended to change targets. Since you have accepted a target from the bounty list, you belong to the hunting team, and the hunting team’s mission is to kill extremely tricky enemies. The other enemies are left to the battlefield teams.
“The enemy has its own intelligence system, and if you change your target to someone else, you risk exposing yourself, which could lead to them attacking you. If you are besieged, we will most likely need to retreat, and your mission will have failed.”
Zhou Yuan nodded to show his understanding.
“Then let’s make a move.” Zhou Yuan streaked across the air and landed within the endless crimson forest.
...
The temperature soared in the Heavenly Fire Ancient Forest, and even the air seemed to burn as Genesis Qi faintly bubbled.
Chi!
Zhou Yuan and his group moved swiftly along the forest at a low height. The situation in the battlefield was incredibly complex, and they could catch fire if they flew too high.
The group scattered, and Shang Xiaoling and Ye Bingling determined their bearings and led the way. They seemed very familiar with the forest and must have come many times before to earn war credit.
Zhou Yuan stayed in the center position to provide support immediately if the situation ahead changed.
They hastened along the road and tried to conceal their Genesis Qi as much as possible as they actively avoided many battles and Genesis Qi collisions.
The day flew by quickly.
Zhou Yuan saw no fewer than 100 battles that day, and the majority were between initial Heavenly Sun experts. Zhou Yuan adhered to the hunting team’s rules, didn’t intervene in the battles and quietly moved past. However, the enemies discovered Zhou Yuan a few times, but he eventually shook them off with his powerful Spirit ability.
One day later, his team arrived at the area where their target was reported.
...
Zhou Yuan sat quietly atop a giant crimson tree.
He peered through the branches and leaves and saw Yi Qiushui and the others take out a bamboo slip from their sleeves. The bamboo slip was covered with Genesis Runes, and when it was crushed against a tree trunk, an eye-like Genesis Rune appeared and merged into the trunk and very quickly disappeared.
It was a detection Genesis Rune that could monitor the surrounding movements in real-time.
The team could earn war credits for setting up detection Genesis Runes. Furthermore, the War Service Hall could use the runes to gather intelligence and relay the details to the hunting team so the team could locate targets.
After the Genesis Runes were set up, Yi Qiushui and the others gestured to Zhou Yuan and darted off in different directions. They were about to start exploring the area to look for the target.
Zhou Yuan wanted to follow but was unanimously rejected. All his team members wanted him to rest and adjust his state. This was because they could only rely on Zhou Yuan to fight once they found traces of their target, and if Zhou Yuan couldn’t win, the team would have to retreat, and there could even be casualties.
Seeing them firmly decline, Zhou Yuan had to helplessly agree and watch them leave. However, he didn’t sit down and rest. Instead, he released his Spirit perception so that he could instantly know if anything happened to Yi Qiushui and the others.
There was utter silence in the forest, except for the rustling of red leaves and the crackling of flames.
One hour later.
Zhou Yuan’s eyes sprang open. There was a signal from Yi Qiushui and the others.
“Finally found him...”
Zhou Yuan transformed into a shadow and vanished.
Finally, it was time for him to do something. He looked forward to his first battle after his breakthrough to the Heavenly Sun stage.
Chapter 1014 One Punch
In a certain place in the ancient forest.
Zhou Yuan's figure appeared atop a giant crimson tree like a shadow, startling Yi Qiushui and the ot
hers crouching there. They eventually relaxed their tense bodies when they realized it was Zhou Yuan.
“You found him?” Zhou Yuan whispered.
Yi Qiushui and Ye Bingling nodded seriously. They pushed the layers of crimson leaves to the sides and looked ahead.
Zhou Yuan followed their gazes to see that a large area of Heavenly Fire Trees had been chopped down to clear an open space. A number of figures were moving back and forth in front of a tent, seeming particularly busy.
The majority were Divine Dwelling experts.
They had chopped down a number of Heavenly Fire Trees in search of Tree Spirit Essence.
“Those bastards are so savage.” Yi Qiushui heartachingly watched the scene. When the Tianyuan Region collected Tree Spirit Essence, they drilled holes into the trees to extract it, but the top five forces disrespectfully and heartlessly destroyed the trees that belonged to the Tianyuan Region.
Mu Liu whispered, “Zhang Zihao is sitting in the center of the tent. We saw him a moment ago.”
Han Yuan said, “What should we do next? There are dozens of Divine Dwelling experts here, so should we lure some away first to let you find a chance to attack Zhang Zihao?”
They were evidently very nervous, and their bodies were as tight as springs. However, it was understandable. Their target was an intermediate purple-gold Heavenly Sun expert on the bounty list who had killed dozens of Heavenly Sun experts.
“No need to be so troubled. As long as we kill Zhang Zihao, they are nothing to be feared,” Zhou Yuan said, shaking his head.
As his voice faded, he leaped from the tree under their shocked gazes.
“Oh, my heavens!”
Mu Liu and the others instantly paled. They didn’t expect Zhou Yuan to dare storm the campsite. He hadn’t discussed or planned the attack or even waited until Zhang Zihao was off guard.
“What should we do?” Yi Qiushui, Ye Bingling and the others stared at each other in dismay, little beads of sweat forming on their beautiful foreheads. However, they dared not jump out because that would be the same as charging into a tiger’s den.
While they were panicking, Zhou Yuan landed outside the campsite.
The patrolling Divine Dwelling experts were the first to notice his presence. They immediately sounded the warning horn after their initial shock, and a deafening blast resounded through the ancient forest.
“Enemy attack!”
“Enemy attack!”
The curtain of the campsite’s center tent was lifted, and a tower-like figure leisurely strode out. It was a burly middle-aged man holding a fatty, roasted animal leg in his hand, and his mouth glistened with grease.
The panic around the campsite immediately faded with his appearance, and several awe-filled gazes looked over in his direction.
The iron tower-like man ran his eyes over Yi Qiushui and the others’ hiding place, and he grinned. “Just a few flies. I noticed their presence a while ago, but I wanted to see what tricks they planned to play. There is no need to panic.”
Yi Quishui and the others were paralyzed with fear when they met his gaze. It turned out that the enemies had discovered their presence long ago.
“What to do, what to do, should we retreat!?” Yi Qiushui asked anxiously.
“We can't retreat. Zhou Yuan already leaped down there.” Ye Bingling smiled bitterly, pointing to Zhou Yuan on the periphery of the campsite.
While everyone’s scalps went numb, Zhou Yuan looked at the iron tower-like man and said, “You’re Zhang Zihao?”
Zhang Zihao narrowed his eyes and sized Zhao Yuan up. After a few breaths, light burst forth from his eyes, and a look of insuppressible wild joy lit up his face. He roared with laughter. “You, are you Zhou Yuan from the Tianyuan Region!?”
He recognized Zhou Yuan. However, this wasn’t surprising since Zhou Yuan had become a well-known figure in Hunyuan Heaven.
“Hahaha, I have such good luck. I didn’t expect you to appear directly in front of me. Did you know that anybody in our alliance who captures or kills you will be rewarded greatly?”
His laughter shook the surrounding forest. The Divine Dwelling experts in the campsite cast astonished gazes over Zhou Yuan’s figure because his name was particularly resounding in Hunyuan Heaven these days. His name was mentioned particularly often, too, when his identity as supreme sovereign Cang Yuan’s disciple came out.
Is that guy crazy? He dared come here alone!
Although Zhou Yuan had defeated Zhao Mushen in the nine regions tournament, he was still only an initial Heavenly Sun expert. On the other hand, Zhang Zihao was an intermediate purple-gold Heavenly Sun expert!
“Hahaha!”
Zhang Zihao burst into wild laughter, but at the same time, he released his perception to investigate the surrounding area. He found that besides the few flies in the periphery, Zhou Yuan was indeed the only one present!
Did this guy really go deep into the battlefield alone?
A gift has befallen them while they were sitting at the campsite!
Boom!
Zhang Zihao erupted with terrifying Genesis Qi, and vaguely, a purple-gold sun emerged in the void behind him. A terrifying oppressive Genesis Qi pressure spread out, causing the ground under his feet to crack.
The panic in the eyes of Li Qiushui and the others intensified even more. They could distinctly feel the pressure brought about by a foundation of 600 million Genesis Qi stars. If they were to get any closer, the pressure alone would be enough to freeze them to the spot and make them lose all fighting spirit.
“Haha!”
Zhang Zihao sternly fixed his eyes on Zhou Yuan like a tiger eyeing his prey.
He didn’t say anything. Although he couldn’t understand why Zhou Yuan would be so stupid to come, he saw no reason to let him off since Zhou Yuan had come willingly.
“Bang!”
With a stamp of his foot, the ground collapsed, and he shot out in the form of a stream of light, producing an ear-piercing sonic boom.
“Die!”
Zhang Zihao’s sinister laugh rang out as his figure almost instantaneously appeared above Zhou Yuan. He had a purple-gold sun behind him, and mighty Genesis Qi was surging around him. A fierce and blazing wave of energy raged like a storm, wreaking havoc everywhere.
The second he displayed his foundation of over 600 million Genesis Qi stars, the surrounding space began to freeze.
Boom!
He thrust his fist, and dark red Genesis Qi roared out like a torrent. The Genesis Qi was incredibly pure and condensed like a blood-red flame.
The ground had already begun to crack.
The punch wasn’t showy, but the pure Genesis Qi was displayed in full majesty.
The Great Five Alliance’s Divine Dwelling experts all sneered coldly. Zhou Yuan is bound to die!
Yi Qiushui gritted her teeth, and her eyes reddened. She charged forward, but Ye Bingling and Mu Liu quickly held her back just before rushed onto the battlefield.
“Do you want to die!?”
Yi Qiushui clenched her hands, staring intently at the battlefield.
Unaware of what was happening behind him, Zhou Yuan calmly looked at Zhang Zihao, who had just thrown out the most tyrannical punch. Zhang Zihao possessed a foundation of more than 600 million Genesis Qi stars, which meant any counterattacks from Zhou Yuan would be useless if he hadn’t broke-through to the Heavenly Sun stage.
The gap in pure Genesis Qi foundation couldn’t be compensated by any other means.
But, unfortunately for him...
As Zhou Yuan clenched his hands, white hair broke his skin, wrapped his fist and turned jet black. He drew back half a step and thrust out his fist.
Bright platinum Genesis Qi rumbled out from his body, and a faint dragon roar echoed, shaking everyone’s mind.
A glass-like sun loomed behind him.
A layer of the ground beneath his feet silently vanished as though it melted.
Boom!
The punch Zhou Yuan threw out ex
pressionless was like a platinum dragon silhouette, colliding with Zhang Zihao’s crimson fist in mid-air under countless gazes.
“Die!” Zhang Zihao laughed wildly. However, his wild laughter soon faded, and a trace of horror surged in his eyes. He felt that the Genesis Qi whizzing towards him during the collision was unbelievably strong!
The collision utterly destroyed the 600 million Genesis Qi stars foundation that he was so proud of
“Glass Heavenly Sun!”
His face twisted with fear and horror, and his body turned ice-cold. He finally knew why Zhou Yuan dared show up by himself: Zhou Yuan’s foundation was more terrifying than his intermediate purple-gold Heavenly Sun stage cultivation!
Zhang Zihao couldn’t understand why someone who had just broken through to the initial Heavenly Sun stage could possess such an abnormal Genesis Qi foundation.
Boom!
But before he had the chance to understand, berserk Genesis Qi shock waves erupted and instantly destroyed the campsite. The towering Heavenly Fire Trees were sliced from the trunk, then crushed.
Both sides’ Divine Dwelling experts haphazardly retreated. When the shock waves finally dissipated, they immediately glanced at the battlefield and emitted cries of disbelief.
A figure remained motionless amidst the collision, like a boulder.
Is it Zhou Yuan?!
Yi Qiushui and the others widened their eyes in shocked disbelief.
The Great Five Alliance’s’ Divine Dwelling experts were in a state of panic.
Where’s Zhang Zihao?!
Why is there no trace of him?!
“Where’s Zhang Zihao?” Shang Xiaoling finally uttered a sentence after a good while.
Mu Liu suddenly said, “Look at the specks of light fluttering in front of Zhou Yuan. Don’t they look like Spirit light fragments?”
The atmosphere stilled.
Yi Qiushui, Ye Bingling and the others stared in that direction with indescribable gazes. They wore stunned expressions as if there were indeed Spirit light fragments.
Could it be that Zhou Yuan had crushed Zhang Ziyao with one punch to the point that not a single bone remained?
Dragon Prince Yuan c1-1251 Page 526