The sound of a loud bell continued to echo in Zhou Yuan’s head for quite some time before gradually fading away. Amidst this, Zhou Yuan could feel the spirit tempering method, ‘Primal Chaos Divine Grindstone Visualisation Method’, being branded into his mind.

However, this was not the time savour this new skill. Hence, Zhou Yuan opened his eyes and respectfully bowed towards the smiling old man in black, “Thank you for this technique master.”

He could faintly feel that both the Qi drawing method and the spirit tempering method were no ordinary techniques. Although the old man before his eyes was mysterious, he had indeed bestowed a huge opportunity onto Zhou Yuan.

The old man in black waved his hand. After some hesitation, he suddenly reached into his sleeve and retrieved a black foot-long brush. The black brush seemed to be made from bronze and was mottled with bits of coloring, as if it had been marked by the long passage of time. It gave off an antique aura.

However, the black brush appeared to be rather dull and lacked the usual glossy luster as if it had lost its innate spirit.

The old man in black seemed somewhat reluctant as he held the black brush, but in the end, he still offered it to Zhou Yuan and said, “Let this be master’s gift to you of our first meeting.”

Zhou Yuan carefully accepted the black brush in a respectful manner. It felt rather weighty when it entered his hands. As he observed the ancient patterns on the brush, he could faintly feel a kind of formidable aura.

Zhou Yuan curiously asked, “Is this a Genesis Rune Brush?” 

The old man in black replied, “It is both a Genesis Rune Brush and a Genesis Weapon.” 

Zhou Yuan was taken aback, feeling a little confused. A Genesis Rune Brush was a unique medium for inscribing Genesis Runes, while a Genesis Weapon was used for battle. The two described completely different things. How could they both be used on a single object?

Moreover, the black brush in his hand looked rather weak. How would it be used to hurt an enemy?

“Heh, looks like it’s been underestimated.” The old man in black could not help but chuckle when he saw Zhou Yuan’s expression. “The name of this brush is Heavenly Yuan Brush. It was once a Sacred Genesis Weapon.”

“Sacred Genesis Weapon?!” Zhou Yuan gasped and dumbly stared at the mottled black brush in his hand with eyes filled with disbelief.

In this world, Genesis Weapons were more or less divided into different grades, namely Normal, Black, Heaven and Sacred. According to what Zhou Yuan knew, the strongest Genesis Weapon of their Great Zhou royal clan was the Nine Flames Spear wielded by his father, and it was only an upper tier Black Genesis Weapon.

The Sacred Genesis Weapons spoken of in legend possessed indescribable power. Power so great that it could burn mountains and evaporate the seas, a power that people both desired and feared.

Was the seemingly powerless mottled black brush in Zhou Yuan’s hand really a Sacred Genesis Weapon?

“I said that it was once a Sacred Genesis Weapon.” The old man in black softly snorted before continuing, “This Heavenly Yuan Brush has accompanied me in countless battles. In one of these battles, it was seriously damaged.”

Only then did Zhou Yuan understand. It was a damaged Sacred Genesis Weapon.

Upon seeing Zhou Yuan’s expression, the old man could not help but unhappily say, “Little brat, do you really think that I would be so petty and give you a useless piece of rubbish? Although this Heavenly Yuan Brush was heavily damaged, it is after all a Sacred Genesis Weapon and still retains some remnant spiritual power. As long as you nourish it consistently, it might gradually recover.”

“Eh?” Zhou Yuan was amazed. To think that this Sacred Genesis Weapon was still able to be saved.

The old man in black pointed at the black brush and said, “Do you see the nine runes on the brush?”

Zhou Yuan lowered his head, only to discover the faint outline of nine ancient and complicated runes on the mottled black brush. They had been difficult to see because they 

were a little too faded.

“These nine runes represent the power of the Heavenly Yuan Brush. When the day comes that you are able to light all nine runes, the brush will recover its Sacred Genesis Weapon power.”

“How do I light them?” Zhou Yuan asked with interest. If he could help this Sacred Genesis Weapon regain its power, it would undoubtedly become a huge aid to himself.

“Hehe, it’s simple. The Heavenly Yuan Brush has a spirit of its own. If you feed it the spirits of Genesis Beasts, it will gradually regain its power.”

“Of course, the higher the quality of the Genesis Beast spirit, the better the effect.”

“As for how the Heavenly Yuan Brush will become a weapon to do battle with others, you will naturally find out when you light the first rune.” The old man in black grinned as he explained.

Although Zhou Yuan knew that the recovery of the Heavenly Yuan Brush to the Sacred Genesis Weapon level would surely not be simple, he still nodded in acknowledgement. The Heavenly Yuan Brush nimbly spun once at his fingertips as he smiled at the old man in black again and said, “Many thanks to master for giving me this brush. There is one thing though, till now, this disciple has yet to know of master’s name.”

The old man in black smiled faintly when he heard this and replied, “Cang Yuan. That is master’s name. Master also has two other disciples, and they can be considered your senior brother disciples. If fate allows it in future, you might be able to meet them and if not, then let it be.”

After Cang Yuan said these words, he shifted his attention away from Zhou Yuan, turning his head to look at the girl in green. The latter’s pearly white teeth were gently biting into her moist lips, while her slightly lowered eyes contained some sadness of their imminent separation.

She had lived here with Cang Yuan ever since she could remember, and he was undoubtedly her closest kin. Hence, she still felt rather sad despite her rather indifferent and aloof character.

“Aih, foolish girl. There is no such thing as a banquet that never ends.” Cang Yuan softly sighed. He was silent for some time, before he suddenly fished out a jade pendant from his clothes. The jade pendant glowed faintly, and there seemed to be a nine-petal fire lotus burning on it. Every petal was of a different color.

“Yaoyao, I know that there are many things that you want to ask me, but this is not the time for it. Take it. If there is a chance in future, you will perhaps come to understand.”

“Besides this, you must be very careful in the event that this jade pendant fire lotus starts to burn, because they will be about to find you!”

Yaoyao urgently asked, “Who are they? Why are they searching for me?” 

Her heart was full of questions. Who were they? Why was it that she had lived here alone with grandpa Hei as if they were hiding from something.

Cang Yuan was silent. He did not reply Yaoyao’s questions, but merely gently placed the jade pendant in her hands before looking towards Zhou Yuan and speaking in a deep voice, “Zhou Yuan, you must remember this at all costs. Do not let Yaoyao undo the seal and use Genesis Qi. Else a calamity will surely arrive.”

Zhou Yuan was slightly shaken and glanced at the faintly discernible rune of light between Yaoyao’s brows. It turns out that it was a seal. So it was not that Yaoyao was unable to use Genesis Qi, but because she had been sealed...

But why?

Zhou Yuan’s was rather puzzled. However, he sensibly chose to not probe any further. Both Cang Yuan and Yaoyao were undoubtedly full of mystery. There was likely some kind of story behind them.

In addition, given his current capabilities, he still did not have the qualifications to know such a story.

Zhou Yuan earnestly replied. “Don’t worry master, I will remember.” 

Cang Yuan nodded before continuing, “You can seek out Yaoyao if you encounter any problems in your training in future. After following me for so many years, she has long since learnt everything I know. But of course, whether you will recieve help or not will depend on her mood.”

Upon hearing this, Zhou Yuan’s eyes seem to brighten slightly as he looked towards the big sis in green. He had originally been worried about hiccups in his cultivation due to being alone, and would never have anticipated that this big sis had concealed herself so deeply. Looks like he would need to curry favor with her in future.

However, the big sis in green was still immersed in her sadness and did not pay any attention to him.

“Both of you should go.”

Cang Yuan patted the girl’s tiny hands as he slowly said.

“Now?” Zhou Yuan was stunned. Was this not a little too quick?

“Leave now!” There was an additional trace of sternness in Cang Yuan’s voice.

Zhou Yuan did not say anything else. He could feel that Cang Yuan was chasing them away and it was likely that something was about to happen here.

Cang Yuan waved his sleeve and dust started to rise from the ground in front of the cottage as ancient runes swiftly followed. If one took a closer look, one would discover that these were profound and mysterious runes.

These runes were exactly the same as the runes on the stone platform from which Zhou Yuan had arrived from.

Zhou Yuan saw the look in Cang Yuan’s eyes and swiftly walked forward into the array formed by the runes. Meanwhile, the girl in green hugged the little creature called Tuntun while she blankly stared at Cang Yuan.

“Go, there may perhaps still be a day where we will meet again in future.” Cang Yuan waved his hand.

The girl in green’s eyes were slightly tinged with red, but she did not break out into tears in the end. Instead, she bowed deeply to Cang Yuan before walking into the array and stood beside Zhou Yuan.

Cang Yuan’s finger immediately jabbed at the air when he saw this. Light exploded from the runes and coverged together, swiftly enveloping both Zhou Yuan and Yaoyao.

“Zhou Yuan, remember the promise you made to master, you must protect her!”

Light flooded the eyes. When space began to distort, Zhou Yuan heard Cang Yuan’s deep voice, a voice that seemed to contain a slightly pleading tone.

“Don’t worry master! Since I have undertaken your teachings, I will naturally protect her!”

Zhou Yuan closed his eyes and uttered in his heart.

Light blossomed before the cottage as a gale erupted. In the next instant, Zhou Yuan and Yaoyao vanished into thin air, and only the flickering runes remained. The runes continued to flicker for some time before being thoroughly extinguished, leaving no traces behind.

Cang Yuan gazed at the spot where the two had disappeared with some melonchany in his eyes as he softly mumbled, “Zhou clan… it is indeed as that old fellow said, I was still able to take another disciple. However, what the future holds will depend on his luck and destiny.”

He shook his head as he collected himself, slowly laying back on the chair as he gently started to rock back and forth.

The entire place was quiet and peaceful.

It was unknown how long this peace lasted when Cang Yuan suddenly opened his tightly shut eyes and indifferently stared at the empty space.

Rumble!

A wild clap of thunder suddenly boomed across the area. It seemed as if lightning was pouring down in the distant sky above, ripping open this domain in an extremely barbaric manner.

The ground started to collapse as patches of forests fell.

“So it has still come in the end.”

Cang Yuan watched the devastation, but his aged face remained expressionless as he mumbled to himself.

“Oh well, these old bones of mine are about to become rusty after recuperating for so many years, it is indeed time for some exercise…” Cang Yuan grinned before slowly standing up from his chair.

Cang Yuan appeared hunchback, but the moment he stood up, his black robes slowly began to flutter as an indescribably terrifying aura completely awakened like an angry dragon being roused from a deep sleep.

Lightning seemed to cover the entire sky as it poured down, and three figures wrapped in lightning slowly descended from within. When they appeared, three frightening auras unfurled from their bodies and engulfed the land as if they were high ranking gods.

Their ice-cold gazes were thrown towards Cang Yuan’s far away body.

“Hehe, to think that the almighty emperor Hei will hide like a rat for so many years. Truly a tale that brings tears to the eye…” An emotionless voice descended from the heavens. As it spread, the domain began to show signs of rapidly falling apart.

“Hand her over! Or this place will become your grave today!”

A mocking smile formed on Cang Yuan’s face when he heard the cold voice, and a thunderous laughter echoed in response.

“Haha, come, come, come. I really want to see exactly whose grave this place will be today!”

Cang Yuan took a step forward and his clothes immediately disintegrated, revealing a thin and withered body. This body was inscribed with numerous complicated ancient runes, every rune pulsing with terrible power.

Buzz!

Blinding light erupted from the runes at this moment. The light was akin to the steadily rising scorching sun, while Cang Yuan’s originally withered body suddenly started to swell.

In the short span of several breaths, a giant now towered on the ground as a torrential and tyrannical aura unfurled.

He roared at the heavens, the wave of sound devastating the surroundings. In the next instance, his foot stamped on the ground and a titanic body shot upwards, slamming into the endless sea of lightning that descended from the sky with a loud bang.

Boom boom boom!

It was at this very moment that the entire domain started to fall apart.