"Your highness."

Lu Tieshan watched Qi Ling depart. What had happened today was definitely related to Qi Manor, hence he was rather unwilling to let them off so easily.

Zhou Yuan waved his hand and said, "They are very clever and have likely long prepared an excuse. In addition, the two culprits are already dead and they will never admit to anything unless we declare war on them now."

Upon hearing Zhou Yuan’s words, Lu Tieshan’s heart shivered a little. Looks like the other thief had indeed died here. However, there was something that puzzled him. The other thief was rumoured to have the strength of the Qi Nourishing stage, but Zhou Yuan and Yaoyao, who gave off no Genesis Qi undulations, were the only ones here. Just how did that Qi Nourishing stage thief die?

Lu Tieshan’s heart was filled with questions, but knew that it was no appropriate to ask. Hence, all he could say was, "Your highness, I will send men to inform his majesty of this matter."

Zhou Qing needed to know that such a thing had happened so as to take further precautions.

Zhou Yuan nodded and Lu Tieshan withdrew with his men. However, they did not station themselves too far this time to be avoid being separated from the prince. Thus, they ended up standing guard just outside the valley.

...

In the valley, Yaoyao looked at the thirty six bottles that had been placed in front of her, bottles that contained the essence blood of thirty six different grade 1 Genesis Beasts. After checking them, she nodded and said, "Not bad, all the ingredients have been gathered. Let me make some preparations first. I’ll help you inscribe the Thirty Six Beast Channel Opening Rune tomorrow."

Zhou Yuan nodded in a rather expectant manner. Soon after, he asked, "Big sis Yaoyao, what grade is the Thirty Six Beast Channel Opening Rune?"

Zhou Yuan had never seen a Genesis Rune that could aid one in the unblocking of channels, and no one in the entire Great Zhou knew of such a rune. From this, one could see just how precious the rune was.

Yaoyao off-handedly replied "It’s a grade 2 Genesis Rune. I will teach you when you reach the second level of the Primal Chaos Divine Grindstone Visualisation Method."

Zhou Yuan scratched his head as he asked, "May I teach it to others?"

The Thirty Six Beast Channel Opening Rune was very valuable, especially to Great Zhou. Although there was some risk, the success rate should be pretty decent if those with strong will power were selected.

Hence, if he could impart it to the army, it would definitely raise the strength of many Channel Opening stage practitioners and make Great Zhou stronger.

However, the rune belonged to Yaoyao after all. Her permission was needed if he wanted to teach it to others.

Yaoyao fiddled with the bottles as she indifferently said, "No need to ask me if you want to impart it to others. Everything was taught to me by grandpa Hei. As his disciple, you naturally have the right to do with them as you please."

"Thank you big sis Yaoyao!"

Zhou Yuan was both delighted and grateful. A grade 2 Genesis Rune might be nothing to Yaoyao, but it was extremely valuable to Great Zhou.

"Go rest. Tomorrow, we will try out the effect of this Thirty Six Beast Channel Opening Rune."

"Okay."

...

"What? The Auraflare technique has gone missing?!"

Qi Manor.

When Qi Yue heard Qi Ling’s words, he quickly stood up as his face turned ashen, fire practically spitting out of his eyes.

Upon seeing Qi Yue’s man-eating appearance, Qi Ling could only brace himself as he nodded and said, "By the time I rushed over, Luo Tong had already been captured, while not even Luo Hao’s shadow was to be seen."

Qi Yue gritted his teeth and said, "Luo Hao is at the Qi Nourishing stage and it is impossible for Zhou Yuan to be his match, while the girl Yaoyao does not even give off any Genesis Qi undulations. Hence, Luo Hao cannot possibly be dead!"

Qi Ling said with some hesitation, "Could he have run with the treasure?"

"Does that dog have the balls?" Cold light flowed in Qi Yue’s eyes as he continued, "Send out pictures of him and spare no efforts in searching. We need to find the Auraflare technique at all costs!"

One must know that the Auraflare technique was bestowed upon his father by the Great Wu Empire, and was one of the strongest Genesis techniques of Qi Manor. Only those who have done great service to the manor would obtain the right to learn it. Now that it had been lost by him, one could imagine just how furious Qi Yuan would be when he returned.

Qi Yue felt his scalp grow numb when he imagined that scene.

Qi Yue’s face was warped as he deeply breathed in and lifted the tea cup by his side. However, he was ultimately unable to calm the raging fire in his heart and the tea cup was viciously smashed into the ground.

"Zhou Yuan, I will not let you off!"

In the room, Qi Yue’s voice was so full of fury that it sounded like the howl of a beast.

He had originally planned on teaching Zhou Yuan a lesson, but events had spiralled out of his control. How could the prideful Qi Yue accept this?

...

Early morning. A chill blanketed the forest, covering the lush green leaves with a thin layer of frost.

Yaoyao lightly shook the transparent bottle in her hand, a bottle half filled with a thick and viscous red liquid. As the bottle swayed back and forth, a savage aura gushed out and the faint howls of beasts could be heard.

"Just this little from so much essence blood?" Zhou Yuan was shocked. A whole thirty six bottles of grade 1 Genesis Beast heart-blood and not even half a bottle was produced.

"Yes. I only collected the most quintessential part. The savage energy within the blood of thirty six Genesis Beasts have been gathered in this bottle, causing the savage energy to multiply."

"This half bottle about should be enough for five attempts."

Yaoyao twirled the jade-green Genesis Rune Brush in her hand before beckoning to Zhou Yuan with her chin, "Take off your clothes."

Zhou Yuan did not delay. He shed his clothes, revealing a healthy-looking body. Although his muscles were not huge, they were well defined and looked full of manliness.

"Your figure is not bad."

Yaoyao’s expression was unperturbed but she still offhandedly praised.

Zhou Yuan felt a little embarrassed.

The corners of Yaoyao’s small red mouth lifted slightly. Soon after, her face turned serious as she instructed, "Closely guard your heart and do not allow the savage energy to invade your mind or your Spirit will be wounded."

Zhou Yuan took in a deep breath upon hearing this and steadied his heart as if he was about to face a formidable foe.

When Yaoyao saw this, the brush in her hand dipped into some of the vicious essence blood before slowly descending.

When brush tip moved, Zhou Yuan could not help but draw in a breath of cold air. It felt as if the brush had been dipped into magma, bringing a burning sensation to his skin.

Cryptic Genesis strokes continuously appeared on Zhou Yuan’s back. This went on for several minutes before Yaoyao’s snow-white hand shook gently and final stroke descended.

"The preparations are done!"

At the same time, her gentle sounding shout rang out by Zhou Yuan’s ear.

Buzz!

The instant her voice was heard, blood red light immediately blossomed on Zhou Yuan’s back as beast roars rang out one after another.

Zhou Yuan pupils abruptly tightened at this moment. He could feel a ruthless to the extreme presence maniacally pour into his back, charging into the interior of his body.

Roar roar roar!

Savage beast roars echoed in Zhou Yuan’s mind, causing him to feel a wave of dizziness as if his conscious was being bitten by numerous beasts.

Fortunately, Zhou Yuan was prepared. The Spirit between his brows buzzed slightly as he began visualising the Primal Chaos Divine Grindstone. The divine grindstone turned and the menacing beast roars were pulverised till nothing remained.

His dazed consciousness gradually began to recover.

Subsequently, Zhou Yuan felt a stream of heat appear in his body, a barbaric scalding heat that charged about in his body.

He knew that this stream of heat was the power of the Thirty Six Beast Channel Opening Rune.

With a thought, he directed the stream of heat towards the blocked fifth meridian channel.

The stream of heat charged in, causing a faint loosening sensation to appear in the originally blocked fifth channel.

Joy bubbled in Zhou Yuan’s heart when he felt this change. He focused even more on controlling the heat to continuously attack the channel.

When the stream of heat finally dissipated a long time later, a small portion of the originally tightly blocked fifth channel had been forced open. This progress made Zhou Yuan overjoyed. It was not less effective than his first time in the Jade Spirit Waterfall.

Phew.

Zhou Yuan opened his eyes and spat out a breath that smelled of blood. He did not care about the stench, his eyes shining brightly.

𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝕨𝕖𝗯𝚗𝚘𝕧𝕖𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝕞

The effectiveness of the Thirty Six Beast Channel Opening Rune had exceeded his expectations.

At this rate, he was confident that he would be able to completely unblock his fifth meridian channel in a month.