“What’s happened?”

Chi Jing didn’t directly answer Zhou Yuan’s question, but said, “You have been in closed-door cultivation for more than three months, and the war between our Tianyuan Region and the top five forces has been going on for more than three months.”

Chi Jing’s expression turned cold as she continued, “And in these three months, the Tianyuan Region has paid a huge price. The top five forces are more difficult to deal with than we expected.”

Zhou Yuan wrinkled his eyebrows. “Are the top five forces really that strong?”

“They aren’t strong, but the Wanzu Region behind them is strong.

Chi Jing sighed. “We aren’t so much as fighting the top five forces in this war but fighting the Wanzu Region. It’s just that the Wanzu Region still has scruples to follow the rules on the surface and so won’t act directly. Even so, the region’s methods are enough to give a headache to our weakening Tianyuan Region.

“The top five forces’ experts that came at the start of the war were almost all defeated, but the Wanzu Region exerted its powers in the dark and had more vassal forces join them. We even suspect that these aren’t just vassals of the Wanzu Region.”

Zhou Yuan narrowed his eyes. “There are other regions trying to strike us while we’re down?”

Chi Jing nodded. “The Wanzu Region has many allies, for example, the Yaogui Region. But the Yaogui Region’s assistance wouldn’t be too obvious, so it’s possible the Yaogui Region manipulated some vassal forces to assist the top five forces.

“It’s also this reason that the top five forces became stronger in the past three months. They were able to even stabilize the collapsing situation and launch an even more aggressive offensive on the Tianyuan Region’s border.

“During this period, our Tianyuan Region has suffered huge losses. We’ve lost more than five hundred of our Four Pavilion members.”

In the end, even Chi Jing’s voice turned hoarse.

Zhou Yuan’s face grew overcast. After all, he was the Four Pavilions’ chief pavilion master, and the Four Pavilions members were under his command. It should be said that the Four Pavilions hadn’t even lost that many people in the previous nine regions tournament. It was really heartbreaking to see so many people buried in this war.

Among them, there might even be familiar faces of those he had met before.

“Yi Qiushui and Ye Bingling, are they alright?” Zhou Yuan took a deep breath and asked.

Chi Jing shook her head, saying, “They're alright.”

It was then that Zhou Yuan's heart relaxed a little. After all, they were the closest to him in the Four Pavilions, especially Yi Qiushui. Not only had she saved him before, she had also done everything she could to help him in the Four Pavilions. So, he couldn’t let anything happen to them no matter what.

“Do the Law Domain experts not plan to take action?” Zhou Yuan asked. The war situation seemed tragic, but this was because the Law Domain experts on both sides still hadn’t acted. Otherwise, no matter how many people joined the war, all would be turned to ashes once they were taken into a Law Domain.

Therefore, Law Domain experts could bring the war to a swift end.

Chi Jing answered, “It’s not that simple. There are seven Law Domain experts from the top five forces, and although they aren’t as strong as us, it would be troublesome if they were to join hands to attack. Additionally, we don’t dare to leave the Tianyuan Region without fully understanding the situation because we could easily fall into the opponent’s trap. And once a Law Domain expert on our side is wounded, no number of Divine Dwelling and Heavenly Sun experts could compensate for this loss.”

Zhou Yuan silently nodded. Although Chi Jing’s words weren’t pleasant to the ear, they were indeed true. The presence of a Law Domain expert wasn’t comparable to any number of Divine Dwelling experts and Heavenly Sun experts since they were a strategic power!

Their opponents seemed to only have seven Law Domain experts with weak foundations on their side, but the Wanzu Region, a venomous crocodile, was secretly supporting them.

Therefore, Chi Jing wouldn’t recklessly make a move before she found a good opportunity. The war outcome would most likely be decided by which side’s Law Domain experts would reveal a flaw first.

“Didn’t senior sister say there was a little trouble?” Zhou Yuan asked, changing the topic.

Chi Jing’s eyes turned fiercer as she explained, “You have been in closed-door cultivation for too long, and recently, rumors are spreading throughout the Tianyuan Region that you’re deliberately avoiding the war. The top five forces must have spread the rumors to shake the Tianyuan Region’s morale.

“This means would have been useless on a Divine Dwelling expert, but you’re different because you are our master’s official disciple. Although you have declined to become a grand elder, your identity is undeniable. Even if you don’t have a grand elder’s power, you have the title of grand elder.

“You should know that the Tianyuan Region’s Heavenly Sun experts have many criticisms towards you becoming my master’s third official disciple.”

Zhou Yuan calmly nodded. Given his performance in the nine regions tournament, no Divine Dwelling experts in the Tianyuan Region would dare question his ability, but his performance couldn’t deter Heavenly Sun experts.

As the previous generations’ heaven prides, they originally had a lot of contempt for the current generation’s Divine Dwelling experts.

Zhou Yuan's achievements were remarkable, but in the eyes of Heavenly Sun experts, they weren’t enough of a reason for supreme sovereign Cang Yuan to favor him. So, they were indignant and unconvinced.

They couldn’t accept that Zhou Yuan had achieved their lifelong goal with only the strength of the Divine Dwelling stage.

Therefore, when Zhou Yuan's identity was revealed, many Heavenly Sun experts from the Tianyuan Region had many inevitable criticisms in their hearts even though they didn’t say anything. The top five forces most likely took advantage of their discontent to spread rumors in an attempt to shake the Tianyuan Region’s morale.

Thus, the rumors had spread like wildfire, saying that Zhou Yuan pretended to go into closed-door cultivation to avoid the war.

And coupled with the numerous fierce attacks from the top five forces, it resulted in many casualties on the Tianyuan Region’s side and inevitably caused resentment towards Zhou Yuan. If this kind of rumor continued to spread, it would undoubtedly impact Zhou Yuan’s reputation greatly.

Zhou Yuan was unconcerned about the impact on his reputation, but he knew that the rumors would, in the end, affect Cang Yuan’s prestige. People would say he was a bad judge of character and had disappointed the Tianyuan Region’s citizens, severely affecting the Tianyuan Region’s morale.

This was the opponent’s real goal.

Zhou Yuan smiled faintly, saying, “The five top forces really would do anything to win. But this method is like paper in that it can be torn apart easily.”

“What are you planning?” Chi Jing asked.

Zhou Yuan stretched his body and said, “Of course I plan to participate in the war. From the beginning, I never intended to avoid battling. Now that my breakthrough is successful, I should also exercise my body. After all, this is the only way to win the Ancestral Dragon Lantern.”

He smiled at Chi Jing. “Also, I have to let all Heavenly Sun experts understand why our master chose me and not them.”

Hearing his words, Chi Jing also smiled.

“They'll finally understand what despair is.”

An initial Heavenly Sun expert who possessed a foundation of 720 million Genesis Qi stars? That would most likely stun countless people.