Shocking the Nine Heavens With My Sword

On the surface, the two sides were equally matched, but in reality, Zhang Zaiyun had lost.

He was at the Third Layer Heaven of the Initial Separation Realm, a full two minor realms higher than Zhou Heng. If it had been a battle on equal footing, he would have been soundly defeated long ago! Moreover, how could he possibly defeat Zhou Heng, who had the advantage in momentum, if he couldn’t overpower him in strength?

Zhang Zaiyun’s face turned iron blue, this was like slapping him hard across the face, which burned with humiliation!

"Kid, don’t be smug, the foundations of the Heavenly Star Sect are not something you can imagine!" he stared fiercely at Zhou Heng, "Though your strength is formidable and you hold the momentum, there are other factors that decide life and death!"

Zhou Heng really didn’t know where Zhang Zaiyun’s resentment was coming from. It was those two who had actively come provoking. Was he supposed to just let them kill him without fighting back?

However, even if Liu Shengjie hadn’t provoked him, he hadn’t planned to let this guy off either.

"Four Yuan Returning Fiend Banner!" Zhang Zaiyun bellowed, and suddenly four flags appeared behind him, each one two feet long and respectively black, white, red, and green, strangely eerie.

"Magic Artifact?" Zhou Heng’s gaze sharpened.

"Wrong, it’s a Forbidden Artifact!" pride filled Zhang Zaiyun’s face, "How could a disciple like me, heavily nurtured by my sect, not have a protective item? This artifact, made by an expert of the Open Heaven Realm, can only be used once, but it’s enough to erase the existence of someone in the Initial Separation Realm with a wave of my hand!"

"How does your battle power matter if you can’t compare to my background?"

Zhou Heng smiled faintly and said, "I want to see what these ghostly flags can really do!"

"You’ll see!" Zhang Zaiyun barked sharply, "You should feel honored that I, Zhang Zaiyun, am using a Four Yuan Returning Fiend Banner to suppress you!"

"All talk no action, hurry up and make your move!" Zhou Heng was eager to try, this being his first time hearing about a forbidden artifact.

"Let’s see how tough you can talk!" Zhang Zaiyun barked, "Green Fiend Banner, arise!"

Whoosh, the green flag behind him soared into the air as if controlled by an invisible hand, fluttering wildly. "Suppress!" He pointed sharply at Zhou Heng, and immediately, the green flag shot towards Zhou Heng.

Terrible power spread, as if a Land Cleaving Realm expert had arrived, overwhelming everything!

"Die!" Liu Shengjie shouted excitedly from the side. Even Princess Shuiyue couldn’t resist such an attack from the Land Cleaving Realm without summoning a corresponding treasure.

Boom!

The Green Fiend Banner plummeted, but the instant it was about to touch Zhou Heng, everyone’s vision blurred, then the flag disappeared!

"How is this possible!" Zhang Zaiyun’s face drastically changed, this Four Yuan Returning Fiend Banner had been a gift from his master, not made by his master himself, but by an Open Heaven Realm old ancestor from the sect, sought on his behalf.

Although each of the four flags could only be used four times, each strike could unleash the power of the Land Cleaving Realm, enough to suppress four warriors in the Initial Separation Realm. Add to that his own level at the Third Layer Heaven of the Initial Separation Realm, and he was nearly invincible here!

But just now, he had lost his divine connection with the Green Fiend Banner as if the artifact had vanished into thin air.

Even if Zhou Heng hadn’t died under the Green Fiend Banner’s suppression, he wouldn’t be as shocked, but its silent disappearance was completely beyond his understanding, causing him to stare blankly.

Zhou Heng revealed a slight smile; just then, he had summoned the Nine Mystic Trial Tower and flung open its doors, swallowing the Green Fiend Banner directly!

He indeed couldn’t wrap possessive artifacts with divine intent into the treasure pagoda, but if someone insisted on barging in, then they were merely caught in their own trap. His divine intent swept over and he "saw" the Green Fiend Banner lying quietly on the stone floor of the first layer of the tower.

"Seems like your secret weapon malfunctioned!" Zhou Heng shrugged indifferently, shaking his head with a sigh, "Looks like your master played you, handing over such trash to trick you!"

Zhang Zaiyun was both angry and anxious, having just boastfully spoken about his sect’s profound foundation, and now the Green Fiend Banner had been mysteriously captured, leaving him bewildered and wary!

"I refuse to believe you have any more tricks up your sleeve!" he yelled, pointing out that a treasure capable of contending with a forbidden artifact made by an Open Heaven Realm expert must also be of the same level!

Indeed, it must have been given by An Luochen!

However, An Luochen had only just advanced to the Open Heaven Realm; how many of such restrictions could he have crafted? One? Two? At most!

Compared to the foundations of the Heavenly Star Sect, it was far from sufficient!

"Black Fiend Banner, arise!" Zhang Zaiyun yelled again, and the black flag behind him immediately took to the air, then whizzed towards Zhou Heng with incredible speed.

The same old trick; in the instant the Black Fiend Banner struck, Zhou Heng summoned the Nine Mystic Trial Tower, with doors wide open to welcome the guest.

Everything was as before—empty and eerily quiet.

Zhou Heng deliberately furrowed his brows, then showed a trace of pleasure.

Zhang Zaiyun’s eyes had widened; he caught a glimpse of a faint shadow, but couldn’t see clearly what it was as it disappeared too quickly! However, he also noticed the change in Zhou Heng’s expression, from worried to pleased?

Hmph, I see!

His Forbidden Artifact may resemble a net and can neutralize others’ artifacts, but in limited amounts; he must have used them all up. That’s why he showed a worried expression but, fearing I’d notice, he swiftly covered it with a smile!

Such trivial skills, does he think I’m as easily fooled as a three-year-old child?

Indeed, An Luochen had just broken through to the Heaven-Opening Realm; where would he find the time or materials to create Forbidden Artifacts? It isn’t just about infusing Spiritual Power into an object; the process is extremely complicated!

Two Forbidden Artifacts, that’s pushing it! This also matches my prior deductions.

"Zhou Heng, you should feel proud because I resorted to using the Four Yuan Returning Fiend Banner against someone as lowly as you!" Zhang Zaiyun returned to his previous haughty demeanor; he utterly looked down upon Zhou Heng—was it just because he had the backing of a Heaven-Opening Realm expert?

Such a petty victory!

"Die!" he shouted again. "White Fiend Banner, rise!"

Whoosh, the third banner soared into the air, launching an attack towards Zhou Heng.

Zhou Heng chuckled inwardly. This fool fell for it! He planned to claim these four banners; as soon as he killed Zhang Zaiyun and the banners became ownerless, he could refine them!

He was only worried that Zhang Zaiyun might not use the Four Fiends Return-to-Origin Banner and instead do something drastic like self-destruct; that’s why he had played along to give his opponent a false hope of victory.

As the White Fiend Banner flew towards him, Zhou Heng captured it again.

"Zhou Heng, you, you, you—deceived me!" Zhang Zaiyun, who had managed to reach the Initial Separation Third Layer Heaven before fifty, surely wasn’t simple-minded, but he wasn’t prepared for the Nine Mystic Trial Tower to be so powerful; thus, he fell for Zhou Heng’s trick. But fool me thrice, shame on me if I don’t catch on this time.

"Ah, I was just trying my luck; I didn’t expect you to be so easily fooled!" Zhou Heng smiled lightly, shrugging nonchalantly.

Lin Fuxiang and An Yumei burst into delicate laughter, while Gu Zi remained her usual serene self.

Zhang Zaiyun took a few sharp breaths, attempting to calm himself, and said, "We concede! Return the Four Yuan Returning Fiend Banner to us, and we will leave immediately!"

Taken aback, Zhou Heng couldn’t help but laugh, "Aren’t you guys a bit too shameless? What makes you think I should return anything to you?"

"Because I am a disciple of the Heavenly Star Sect!" Zhang Zaiyun puffed out his chest, "Whether it’s you or An Luochen behind you, you’re nothing but trash before the Heavenly Star Sect! Offending the Heavenly Star Sect means annihilation for anyone!"

"Should I pretend to be afraid to satisfy your vanity?" Zhou Heng’s expression turned cold, "Since you’ve said so, why shouldn’t I just eliminate all of you?"

"Hahaha, I admit your power is comparable to mine, and you’ve also mastered momentum, making you formidable in battle! But if I decide to run, how could you possibly catch up?" Zhang Zaiyun, who was previously boasting about killing and looting, now prided himself on his ability to escape, completely oblivious to the word ’shameless’!

Zhou Heng burst out laughing, comparing speed with him? With the Swift Cloud Radiant Step fully activated, not even an expert of the Land Cleaving Realm could keep up within ten minutes, let alone someone from the Initial Separation Realm!

These so-called great sect disciples really had no shame, using brute force when strong, and hiding behind their sect when facing adversity, always ensuring they never lost out!

"Shameless!" Lin Fuxiang mockingly stuck out her tongue from the side, her face lively and absolutely bright, though neither Zhang Zaiyun nor Liu Shengjie were in the mood to appreciate it.

Zhou Heng pointed at Liu Shengjie, "You might escape, but what about your cousin here?"

Liu Shengjie’s face turned pale immediately, his fists clenched tightly. Just a few months ago, Zhou Heng was just a slightly stronger ant to him. It’s incredible how in such a short time, the tables had turned so completely!

His life was indeed in Zhou Heng’s hands, with Gu Zi staring intently at him, giving him no chance to flee.

"You wouldn’t dare!" Zhang Zaiyun said confidently, "If you touch a hair on my cousin, you’d be provoking the Heavenly Star Sect. Consider for yourself if you can afford to offend the foremost sect of the Cold Blue Country!"

Whoosh, a shadow flickered, and a black Sword Waterfall appeared out of nowhere. Followed by the splatter of bright red blood, an arm plopped onto the ground.

"Ah—" only now did Liu Shengjie let out an excruciating scream, unbelievingly looking at his empty right shoulder, then at the familiar arm on the ground, agony shooting through him, as he kept screaming.

If this were outside, he could immediately reattach the severed limb and aide its healing with Spiritual Medicine; but not here, no way!

"You, you, you!" Zhang Zaiyun pointed at Zhou Heng, shaking all over. Zhou Heng had done more than just touch a single hair—he had completely severed an arm!

Madman, does he not care about threatening the Heavenly Star Sect?

Zhou Heng casually vibrated the Black Sword in his hand, his eyes flickering with a murderous intent, "Liu Shengjie, let’s settle our old accounts first!"

Swoosh, another swing of his sword, and Liu Shengjie’s left arm was also severed.

In the presence of Zhou Heng who had mastered momentum, and the sharpness of the Black Sword, Liu Shengjie was utterly defenseless!(To be continued. If you like this work, please visit qidian.com to cast your recommendation votes and monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users please go to m.qidian.com to read.)