Shen Taiyuan’s horrified shriek caused the city walls to fall into chaos. Everyone scrambled backwards in fear, their terrified gazes unable to pull away from the figure that had appeared in the sky.

Palace master Sheng Yuan...

This name had spread practically to every corner of Cangxuan Heaven for the past few years. No matter how many people hated the Sacred Palace, they could only tremble in fear at the mention of this name.

It was terror that reached its peak after the Heavenly Ghost Sect was wiped out by the Sacred Palace.

Although there were no official rankings or evaluation, if someone said that palace master Sheng Yuan was the number one expert in Cangxuan Heaven, no one would disagree.

It was because of his existence that the Sacred Palace could grow stronger and stronger over the years. Now, he was even able to suppress the other five great sects alone.

The Sacred Demon Army that nearly destroyed the Great Zhou Empire was merely a small squad under his command.

No one would have expected such a legendary person to suddenly appear outside Great Zhou City...

The fear and terror he caused was far beyond anything the earlier Sacred Demon Army could ever hope to achieve.

Why else would even someone like Shen Taiyuan lose his composure?

As fear spread like wildfire across the city walls, Zhou Yuan stared at palace master Sheng Yuan. His expression remained composed as he casually said, “Oh, it’s palace master Sheng Yuan? It’s been a long time since we last met.”

In the air, palace master Sheng Yuan ignored everyone else. His eyes looked only at Zhou Yuan, a vast power surging within the mysterious, deep starry sky they resembled.

“Zhou Yuan...

“Only after personally seeing you am I finally able to believe that an ant can grow so much in a dozen years…”

“To be honest, I should thank you.” Zhou Yuan chuckled.

If not for palace master Sheng Yuan, he would not have been forced to leave Cangxuan Heaven. If he stayed here, Zhou Yuan believed that he would have lost the chance to meet the many strong foes who eventually became his stepping stones. It would certainly have been difficult for him to reach his current level in a dozen years.

Hence, in a certain manner of speaking, palace master Sheng Yuan had played a big part in his current accomplishments.

Palace master Sheng Yuan stared at Zhou Yuan, his voice ungraspable as the mist yet also omnipresent, “Your accomplishments are indeed quite impressive. However, do you really believe the current you can change anything?”

There was a look of pity in his eyes as his voice boomed like thunder, causing everyone to try to be as quiet as possible. “Zhou Yuan, you should not have returned. You could have continued to enjoy the glory of being the number one expert under the Saint stage if you hid in the all-heavens. You are only seeking death by returning.”

Zhou Yuan grinned. “I’ve seen many Saint experts over the years and even a prime sovereign. However, none of them acts so self-important or brags as much as a half-baked false Saint expert like you.

“If not for your master’s mischief, do you really believe a grasshopper like you could have continued hopping around for so long? Any Saint expert from the Omega Shrine could destroy you.”

A chilling light rose in palace master Sheng Yuan’s eyes as the surrounding temperature rapidly plummeted, turning a hot day into bitterly cold winter.

An indescribable and vast pressure enveloped the land.

Zhou Yuan’s eyes narrowed. Palace master Sheng Yuan’s strength seemed to have improved over the past dozen years. However, Zhou Yuan could sense that he had yet to truly step into the Saint stage.

That single step was akin to almost impossible to break shackles. As long as he was not a true Saint expert, Zhou Yuan was not afraid!

Zhou Yuan took a step forward as his Sacred Dragon Law Domain unfurled. An ancient dragon roar echoed across the land, gradually pushing back the bone-chilling cold.

“Old dog Sheng Yuan, do you really think you can intimidate me with a mere double instead of your true body? Do you believe things are the same as a dozen years ago?!” Zhou Yuan raised his head, showing his piercingly cold eyes. An ancient dragon silhouette slowly rose behind him and released an earth-shaking roar.

Sheng Yuan’s gaze paused on the enormous sacred dragon behind Zhou Yuan as his eyes narrowed. Although he was a cultivation double, his strength far surpassed any ordinary third stage Law Domain expert. In spite of this, he was still unable to give Zhou Yuan any pressure.

From this, one could see that Zhou Yuan’s title of number one under the Saint stage did have some truth to it.

However, Sheng Yuan was not worried, because ‘under the Saint stage’ did not include half-Saint experts like himself. Although he had yet to properly ascend to the Saint stage for the past dozen years, he had managed to gain a little of the Saint’s power.

He was already unbelievably close to that final step...

Once the right timing and opportunity arrived, he would naturally ascend to the Saint stage.

With Cangxuan Heaven currently sealed and no Saint expert able to enter, he had enough opportunity and power to unify it. When the time came, he only needed to fulfil the mission given to him by the Sacred God and he would be given the chance to cast away his human essence and transcend into a true member of the Sacred Race.

“I can sense Cangxuan Saint Stamp undulations from your body. Oh, the four Saint Runes...no wonder I’ve always felt the Cangxuan Saint Stamp was incomplete. So you were the one who took them away.”

Palace master Sheng Yuan’s deep eyes scanned Zhou Yuan’s body. Soon after, he chuckled, “I came here in order to verify something. Looks like the trip has not been in vain.”

Zhou Yuan earnestly said, “I do want to thank you for your hard work in gathering the Cangxuan Saint Stamp fragments for so many years. Otherwise, I would have to go all over searching for them.”

Palace master Sheng Yuan sighed. “I never expected the ant from back then would dare to speak to me in such a manner. It is truly quite...amusing.”

Each word between the two seemed to contain incomparable power as if they were laws that could shape the world. As the two individuals conversed, lightning flashed and thunder rumbled as if the end was near.

Countless people trembled in fear. Even Chi Jing, Wu Yao, Su Youwei and the other Law Domain experts wore grave expressions. They could feel the spreading pressure from palace master Sheng Yuan and knew that even though it was merely a cultivation double, it was still much stronger than them.

Although Cangxuan Heaven was small and chaotic, no one should underestimate its apex expert.

“Zhou Yuan, this is my last warning. If you’re smart, hand over the Saint Runes and stamp fragments. I will allow you to leave Cangxuan Heaven with your family.” He stared at Zhou Yuan with cold eyes as his emotionless voice resounded across the area, “This is your final chance.”

Zhou Yuan felt the chilling killing intent in palace master Sheng Yuan’s words and shook his head. He saw no need to waste any more saliva talking and lightly flicked his finger.

Roar!

The sacred dragon behind him roared. Purple-gold dragon breath surged forth, accompanied by the power of annihilation as it smashed apart space itself and swallowed palace master Sheng Yuan’s cultivation double.

Even space was evaporated by the dragon breath. Palace master Sheng Yuan’s cultivation double was likewise unable to put up much of a resistance and slowly melted away...

Zhou Yuan stared at palace master Sheng Yuan’s gradually fading figure.

“This is my answer, you old dog. You’ve caused chaos in Cangxuan Heaven for many years and since others are unable to deal with you, I will!

“Wait in your nest. I will personally come to settle the grudge from back then.”

His calm voice echoed across the land.

Palace master Sheng Yuan’s figure continued to disappear like bubbles, indifference and mockery in his eyes as he stared at Zhou Yuan.

Before he completely faded, a faint voice sounded, “I’ll be waiting for you to come to your death.”