On the surface of the Illuminating Sea

A scream resounded, and the sea’s surface parted as a figure soared into the sky.

Standing in midair, Zhou Yuan felt the mighty Genesis Qi surging in his body, and his eyes were filled with joy and excitement. After four months of painstaking training and suffering endless pain, he had finally achieved what he wished. He had broken through to the intermediate Heavenly Sun stage!

He closed his eyes slightly, feeling his Genesis Qi. After a while, the corners of his lips slowly curved upwards.

"1.86 billion Genesis Qi stars…"    

Following his breakthrough, his Genesis Qi foundation had soared from 720 million to 1.86 billion! It was a frightening increase. Moreover, a foundation of 1.8 billion was comparable to some advanced Heavenly Sun experts!

Evidently, an ordinary glass Heavenly Sun couldn’t compare to the potential of Zhou Yuan's variant glass Heavenly Sun. 

The Genesis Qi increase surprised even Zhou Yuan a little. He originally thought his foundation would at most reach 1.6 billion after the breakthrough because his Genesis Qi foundation was around that level when he activated the Heavenly Yuan Brush’s Promotion. But that didn’t mean it was the limit of his potential.

The large increase was an unexpected surprise.   

Zhou Yuan chuckled, and great confidence rose in his heart. Although he was only at the intermediate Heavenly Sun stage, he already had the qualifications to face top advanced Heavenly Sun experts. At the very least, within the entire Tianyuan Region, he wouldn’t be inferior to any Heavenly Sun experts except for Qin Lian.

Moreover, this was without activating the Heavenly Yuan Brush’s Promotion Rune. If he used it, even Qin Lian wouldn’t be his match. Based on combat strength, Zhou Yuan felt he could make it onto the top five of the Heavenly Sun List.

He had made a great harvest from this closed-door session.

Zhou Yuan glanced at the two Heavenly Suns hovering behind him and noticed that the ancient light runes on the glass Heavenly Sun had multiplied. They were also wrapping around the suns like vines.

He understood that the ancient light runes were incredibly powerful and that he could only possess such a foundation at the intermediate Heavenly Sun stage because of those ancient runes. 

“Oh, the breakthrough was successful?” While Zhou Yuan beamed with joy, laughter suddenly rang out. Countless Genesis Qi light rays gathered in front of him, turning into Zhuan Zhu's figure.

Zhuan Zhu studied Zhou Yuan with a smile, then raised his brow slightly. “To possess such a Genesis Qi foundation at the intermediate Heavenly Sun stage…yes, your potential is comparable to the heaven prides of the sacred race.”

Zhou Yuan narrowed his eyes, seeming a little surprised. “The sacred race’s heaven prides are that strong?”

Zhou Yuan also knew it was rare to see Heavenly Sun experts with strength of his level in the entire Hunyuan Heaven, but Zhuan Zhu said that he was comparable to the heaven prides of the sacred race?

Zhuan Zhu was silent for a good while before he answered, “Although the sacred race is domineering, it has to be said that they are blessed by heaven.”

He swept a glance over Zhou Yuan’s two glass Heavenly Suns, or precisely, the ancient light runes on them. 

"A Nine-Claw Heavenly Sun is indeed rare, but it’s not unseen within the heaven prides of the sacred race.”

This time Zhou Yuan was stunned. He then asked puzzledly, “You mean my variant glass Heavenly Sun is called the Nine-Claw Heavenly Sun?”    

Zhuan Zhu smiled and pointed to the Heavenly Suns. “The ancestral dragon has nine toes on its claws, so they are also called nine claws...and only the most outstanding Heavenly Sun experts in the world can make such ancestral runes appear after refining a glass Heavenly Sun. The ancestral runes will spread and eventually resemble nine claws clutching the sun. that is when the Nine-Claw Heavenly Sun is formed.” 

Zhou Yuan carefully studied the glass Heavenly Suns floating behind him, and he indeed found that the faint irregular light runes had formed a dragon claw.

“There seems to be only four claws,” Zhou Yuan said curiously. 

Zhuan Zhu nodded. "As your strength increases, the claw runes will grow, but it depends on your potential and the opportunities you might face as to whether you can eventually achieve nine claws.”

"What happens when you refine a Nine-Claw Heavenly Sun?" Zhou Yuan couldn't help asking.

"First of all, it possesses incredible power. Secondly, it is said that when those with a Nine Claw Heavenly Sun break through to the Nascent Source stage, there is a high probability they will directly enter the greater Nascent Source stage."

Zhou Yuan's eyes widened. The grade classification of the Nascent Source stage in Hunyuan Heaven was a little different from Cangxuan Heaven. It was instead divided into the little Nascent Source stage, greater Nascent Source stage and perfect Nascent Source stage. The so-called Greater Nascent Source stage was equivalent to the intermediate Nascent Source stage. In other words, when the Nine-Claw Heavenly Sun breaks through to the Nascent Source stage, it could skip levels!

This was terrifying because greater Nascent Source experts were veteran, elder-level experts even in the nine regions, and they could establish their own sect or faction! 

The Nine-Claw Heavenly Sun could save a lot of time.

Zhou Yuan smacked his lips. He had to admit his heart skipped a beat. He had always felt his rune-marked Heavenly Sun was strange, but looking at it now, he saw its handsomeness.

I’m sorry, I underestimated you. 

Zhou Yuan reflected in his heart, then anxiously asked, “Senior brother, how can I increase the number of claws?”

Zhuan Zhu stroked his chin and said, “This will be very difficult…for ordinary people. But you’re very lucky and have a perfect opportunity.”

Zhou Yuan’s heart trembled. “You mean...Guyuan Heaven?”  

Zhuan Zhu nodded. "As far as I know, there aren’t many things in the world that can improve dragon claws, but the ancestral qi in Guyuan Heaven is one of them.”

Zhou Yuan’s eyes lit up like an explosion. It seemed he had overlooked the huge opportunity in Guyuan Heaven. It was no wonder that all heavens would fight for such an opportunity.

At that moment, Zhou Yuan's enthusiasm to enter Guyuan Heaven suddenly soared.

"Well, now that you have successfully broken through, there is something you should do,” urged Zhuan Zhu as he stretched his back.

“What is it?” Zhou Yuan asked helplessly.  

Zhuan Zhu told him about the recent recruitment of Heavenly Sun experts and Nascent Source experts in the Tianyuan Region. “Our Tianyuan Region has been very popular, and a lot of good seedlings have come. You don’t need to pay attention to those at the Nascent Source stage, but the Heavenly Sun stage recruitment is temporarily left to Qin Lian, and it seems she has encountered some trouble.”

“Trouble?” Zhou Yuan raised his brows.  

Zhuan Zhu swept his gaze over Zhou Yuan and said teasingly, "It's related to you. You should know the top unaffiliated cultivators are unruly. The Tianyuan Region has already announced our two captains—you and Qin Lian—but although they approve of Qin Lian, they are still...unconvinced about you. 

“The Battle of the Heavens will soon begin. After a discussion with the other regions, those selected from each region will meet in a few days. So, to avoid being ridiculed, we must resolve this internal problem first.

“We have just recruited those unaffiliated cultivators, and we need them in the battle. We can’t forcibly suppress them, so we have to rely on you. You should be very comfortable with this kind of matter."

Zhou Yuan said snappily, "Do you mean I have been questioned too many times?”

Zhuan Zhu spread his hands and shrugged. “It's actually a compliment. It means you have done things that are beyond your level.”

As Zhuan Zhu spoke, he flicked his finger, and a spatial vortex appeared in front of him.

“Then I should thank you.” Zhou Yuan rolled his eyes, but he didn't refuse to take the mission. After all, this was in preparation for Guyuan Heaven. He of course had to do his best for the Nine-Claw Heavenly Sun and the Ancestral Dragon Flesh.

Zhou Yuan waved to Zhuan Zhu and then strode into the spatial vortex.

Zhuan Zhu was right: Zhou Yuan did indeed have great experience in dealing with such thorns. 

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