Zhou Yuan's gaze scanned the area, eventually coming to a stop on a certain spot behind Gu Lang where a black crystal ball that shined with a strange light lay atop a stone pedestal. Ancient patterns spread down the pedestal, reaching into the ground.

The crystal ball should be the core of the Spirit Devouring Tower.

"Small fry?"

Zhou Yuan seemed to smile when heard Gu Lang's words. The former was after all someone who had once slayed an Alpha-Origin expert. Although he had borrowed Silver Shadow's power, the one before him, Gu Lang, was merely a mid Heaven Gate stage practitioner.

"How does it feel to smash your own foot with a rock?" Zhou Yuan smiled thinly. If not for Gu Lang having designs on Yaoyao and subsequently giving them two entry tokens to the Spirit Refining Tower, they would have likely left, no desire to involve themselves in this affair.

Gu Lang's indifferent face did not change as he replied, "You think you can stop me? Do you even think that you're qualified to be a stone in my path? At best, you're a tiny pebble that I can easily kick aside."

An eerie smile appeared from the corners of his lips as he stared at Zhou Yuan.

"You seem to have a pretty good relationship with that girl, right? Don't worry, after we capture all of you, I'll make sure you have a front row seat as I properly enjoy her!"

Zhou Yuan emotionlessly lifted his head, his eyes focusing on Gu Lang as he sighed, "Looks like you really won't be able to live past today."

His filthy words had already triggered Zhou Yuan's killing intent.

"Oh?" The smile on Gu Lang's lips gradually turned malicious. He took a step forward as violent Genesis Qi abruptly erupted from his body, the strength of the initial Heaven Gate stage fully on display.

Gu Lang's Genesis Qi had a dim yellow hue and gave off an aura of extreme heaviness, as if it contained the power of mountains.

This was the Gu clan's best Genesis Qi, grade 4 Genesis Qi, the Thousand Subduing Mountains Qi!

"Small fry, where exactly did you find the confidence to to spew such bold words before me? Especially with your mere Qi Nourishing stage strength." Gu Lang grinned evilly.

Bang!

His body abruptly shot forward he instant his words faded, appearing in front of Zhou Yuan in a few breaths. The former's eyes were filled with viciousness as a fist was sent blasting at the latter.

Cackle!

The air in front of the punch was violently blown away. Berserk punch winds wrapped in dim yellow Genesis Qi were akin to enormous boulders rapidly tumbling down from above, full of raw and violent power.

Zhou Yuan's eyes flashed. In the next instant, dark gold Omni Python Qi abruptly burst out from his body. He showed no signs of backing down as his five fingers also tightened into a fist and punched!

Bang!

Two fists slammed into each other, instantly cracking the ground below their feet. A shockwave devastated the surroundings as both figures first jerked back before shooting backwards.

Dust filled the air. Gu Lang had a dark expression as he stared at Zhou Yuan. The former could not believe that he had not gained the slightest advantage in their previous clash. Moreover, he could sense an extremely tyrannical poison in Zhou Yuan's Genesis Qi which had maniacally tried to invade his body upon contact. If not for his perceptive Spirit, he would have likely suffered quite a bit.

All of these observations slightly amazed Gu Lang. He was after all a Heaven Gate stage expert, while Zhou Yuan was merely at the advance Qi Nourishing stage. The gap between the two should be huge.

"The Genesis Qi this guy cultivated is not simple." However, Gu Lang quickly understood, his eyes now burning with greed as he stared at the dark gold Genesis Qi around Zhou Yuan's body. The quality of the latter's Genesis Qi had evidently exceeded grade 4.

"So that's the source of your confidence."

"I have become rather interested in your Genesis Qi. After I capture you, there will be a way to extract its Qi cultivation method from your mouth." Gu Lang grinned in a sinister manner.

Zhou Yuan merely followed with a faint smile. "Since you're so interested in it… it will be fitting for me to use it to beat you to death."

Swish!

Two figures shot forward at practically the same time.

On the ground, two figures seemed to weave into one, punches and kicks rapidly thrown one after another, leaving numerous after images behind.

While they were fighting, an insidious look flitted across Gu Lang's eyes. His five fingers clenched into a fist as a rune began to light up on his arm.

"Grade 2 Genesis Rune, Metal Rhino Rune!"

Gu Lang's fist instantly transformed into a flash of black metal like light as alarming power erupted.

The sudden rise in power of this punch was enough to pulverise an opponent of the same cultivation level.

However, the instant the black metal like fist was thrown, an icy light surfaced in Zhou Yuan's eyes as he jerked his shoulder.

"Golden Ape Moves the Mountain Rune!"

A glowing rune appeared on his shoulder as his strength rapidly soared. A punch was sent blasting through the air, ferociously slamming into Gu Lang's fist.

The ground below the two fissured as they staggered a dozen or so steps back.

Zhou Yuan lifted his head and grinned at Gu Lang. "I too have grade 2 Genesis Runes."

Since he already knew that the members of the Gu clan had strong Spirits, he was naturally on guard against any Genesis Runes his opponents had prepared in advance on their bodies. Graveness flitted across Gu Lang's eyes. It was only at this moment that he finally began to realise how troublesome an opponent the so called small fry was.

Any other ordinary opponent, even another initial Heaven Gate practitioner, would have been defeated by him long ago.

In fact, if he relied on the power of grade 2 Genesis Runes, Gu Lang was even confident of putting up a fight against mid Heaven Gate experts.

However, the current situation seemed to show… that he was somewhat helpless against an advance Qi Nourishing stage youth.

Gu Lang took in a deep breath, throwing out all of the contempt he originally had towards Zhou Yuan. It would be truly foolish to hang on to such notions at such a time.

"My task is to defend the central area. As long as the Genesis Rune boundary is not broken, father and the elders will be able to eternally sustain their battle power, eventually wear out and defeat their opponents. When that happens, this guy will become mere meat on the chopping board. Hence, there's no need to take any unnecessary risks just for some silly pride."

Upon seeing the look in Gu Lang's eyes, Zhou Yuan knew that the latter had changed his strategy. Gu Lang was no longer going to attack, but instead defend and delay for time, focusing on protecting the Genesis Rune boundary.

"I originally wanted to keep using you as grindstone and test the power of the Heaven Gate stage."

Zhou Yuan shook his head. "But since you are unwilling, you no longer have any value."

"Shameless boasting you small fry." Gu Long mocked, fully under the impression that Zhou Yuan was just being stubborn. Though it was true that Gu Lang had previously been unable to quickly obtain victory, at the very least, he was confident that he could stop Zhou Yuan in his tracks and make it impossible for him to advance a single step further.

Zhou Yuan did not waste any more time bantering, and merely closed his eyes as he exhaled.

He took half a step forward, his body swaying as an arm was extended. His hand began to move, a slow yet heavy movement as if he was holding a mountain while palm winds swept forth, vibrating the surrounding air.

The Genesis Qi in Zhou Yuan's body began to surge violently at this moment.

Wind unfurled from under Zhou Yuan's feet, sweeping up the dust on the ground.

As Zhou Yuan's palm was swung, dark gold light heaved as if a giant dragon's claw was reaching out to grab a mountain and smash it at the heavens.

An astonishing aura exploded from Zhou Yuan's body.

"I have a move that can sunder the sky."

Zhou Yuan stepped forward, appearing in front of Gu Lang as a hand descended as if it was throwing a giant stone monument.

The ground in front of him was barbarically ripped apart.

Dragon Tablet Hand, third level. Break the Sky.

Gu Lang's expression instantly turned to terror.