On the third day after Zhou Yuan returned to the Cangxuan Sect, the sect master issued a notification that, from then on, chief disciple Zhou Yuan of the Saint Genesis Peak would ascend to the position of Chosen and would be ranked second on the Chosen List.

When the news came out, it was no surprise that the entire Cangxuan Sect was in uproar. Numerous disciples were amazed that Zhou Yuan could directly ascend to the second position on the Chosen List, which was something that rarely happened in the Cangxuan Sect.

But thinking of Zhou Yuan’s previous remarkable accomplishments, many disciples also understood the reason. The fact that Zhou Yuan could kill someone as strong as Jin Chanzi had already illustrated his strength. Even Kong Sheng and Li Qingchan were both weaker than Jin Chanzi.

He was indeed worthy of such a position given his strength.

Therefore, even the Sword Cometh Peak, which previously did not have a good relationship with Zhou Yuan, couldn’t oppose such a decision. Kong Sheng also kept silent and chose to go into secluded cultivation. Evidently, he felt great pressure in the face of Zhou Yuan’s rapid progress.

In the past, he had only seen Chu Qing as his opponent.

But after witnessing the battle between Chu Qing and Jiang Taishen in the Mythic Utopia, he knew the reason why Chu Qing had repeatedly refused to accept his challenge in the past. Chu Qing knew that the gap between them was far too great, and Chu Qing deliberately did not want to fight against him.

Thinking about it, Kong Sheng realized that he had been underestimating Chu Qing’s speed of progress. All those challenges he had made indicated that he was unaware of his own strength.

And now, not only was Chu Qing getting further and further away from him, even Zhou Yuan, a new rising star, had surpassed him. This made him realize that if he did not train hard, it would be difficult for him to protect his position as the third Chosen.

At the cave dwelling.

Looking at the letter scroll, Zhou Yuan couldn’t help feeling emotional. Two years ago, when he entered the Cangxuan Sect and saw the Chosen board, he had set a goal in his heart, and he was constantly chasing after that goal.

At that time, the position of Chosen seemed unattainable.

Two years later, however, not only did he become a Chosen, he also became ranked second on the list.

Such progress told Zhou Yuan that his effort wasn’t wasted.

“I didn’t think I would become a Chosen.” He gave a smile but wasn’t excessively smug. He casually put away the scroll. The position of Chosen could only be considered as encouragement and praise. The most important thing was his strength.

His real goal wasn’t to be promoted to the position of Chosen; a Chosen alone couldn’t destroy the Great Wu and couldn’t kill King Wu.

“Hu.”

He took a deep breath, then headed straight to the depths of the cave dwelling. Sitting cross-legged in a place where pure Genesis Qi was gushing out, he closed his eyes and observed the inside of the qi dwelling.

Genesis Qi stars were flashing brightly in the qi dwelling. In the central position, the liquid-like Heavenly Punishment Saint Rune was slowly flowing, seemingly extremely mysterious.

There was an ancient aura rising from the Heavenly Punishment Saint Rune. After the Genesis Qi stars in the qi dwelling came into contact with it, the stars appeared to have been refined and were much brighter than before.

The Heavenly Punishment Saint Rune had been stored in the Mythic Utopia for many years, constantly absorbing the Genesis Qi of the universe. Although much had been used to create Divine Establishing Treasures, the amount that remained was still tremendous.

The incomparably pure Genesis Qi of the universe made Zhou Yuan salivate.

With this thought, the Heavenly Punishment Saint Rune suddenly shook in his Qi Dwelling, and billowing mists rushed out of it.

The mist was formed from the Genesis Qi of the universe.

The Heavenly Punishment Saint Rune was constantly spewing strong Genesis Qi, and soon, the mist became moist, as if liquid was blooming.

This was a sign of extremely pure Genesis Qi of the world.

Zhou Yuan’s heart was burning, and invisible spirit power was being activated. All of a sudden, surging mist filled the Qi Dwelling, and as each wisp of mist rose, it accumulated at a speed visible to the naked eye.

Where the mist gradually dissipated, it was replaced by a bright Genesis Qi star!

Multiple Genesis Qi stars had formed in such a short period of time. The speed of cultivation was so remarkable that even someone like Zhou Yuan, who had incredible self-control couldn’t control his heart from leaping frantically. Moreover, he felt that the Genesis Qi stars that had formed were incomparably pure and of superior grade.

It was clear that the degree of pureness of the universe Genesis Qi contained in the Heavenly Punishment Saint Rune had far exceeded Zhou Yuan’s expectation.

“I really don’t know what level my Genesis Qi foundation would reach if I were to completely absorb and refine the Genesis Qi contained in the Heavenly Punishment Saint Rune.

“Jiang Taishen’s Genesis Qi foundation has reached around 100,000 stars. I should be able to surpass him when I reach the ninth layer, isn’t that right?”

Numerous thoughts flashed through his mind, making him feel as if his mind was boiling.

Although Zhou Yuan managed to kill Jin Chanzi in the Mythic Utopia, his Genesis Qi foundation was still at a disadvantage. But if he could make a breakthrough, he believed that he could really catch up to Jiang Taishen, Chu Qing and the others.

Soon, Zhou Yuan shook away the distractions from his mind and began to focus. He methodically absorbed and refined the strong Genesis Qi that was continuously being released from the Heavenly Punishment Saint Rune.

Zhou Yuan was quietly sitting in the depths of the cave dwelling. The surrounding universe Genesis Qi also did not fluctuate in the slightest, which made him look as if he was sleeping soundly, not training.

However, only he knew that the Genesis Qi during his training wasn’t from the outside, but from the Heavenly Punishment Saint rune in his body.

He appeared to be peaceful, but the Qi Dwelling was in the midst of an earth-shaking change.

Genesis Qi stars were constantly condensing and forming one after another in the billowing mist.

Zhou Yuan’s Genesis Qi foundation was also frantically growing stronger at an astonishing speed.

Time quietly passed while Zhou Yuan was training.

Anyone could feel the atmosphere inside the Cangxuan Sect seemed to have changed after the incidents in Mythic Utopia.

They had achieved a huge victory and should have had a good rest, but all the Chosen chose to go into secluded cultivation. Evidently, in the face of Zhou Yuan—a less experienced disciple—the older Chosen, such as Kong Sheng, felt great pressure. How would they dare to slack off?

The other disciples also followed suit. Immediately, the cultivation spirit of the sect turned extremely intense.

While the Cangxuan Sect was peaceful and harmonious, it was very different on the distant Cangmang Continent.

In the palace of the Great Wu Empire there was an urgent order spreading throughout the whole empire, sending the empire, which had remained silent for a long, long time, into a turbulent state.

The Great Wu Empire, like a fierce tiger watching its prey, turned to the eastern direction.

There lay the empire they had replaced and driven away, the Great Zhou Empire.