Shocking the Nine Heavens With My Sword

Zhou Heng sped off with all his might, his Swift Cloud Radiant Step was not pushed to its extreme yet, for he intended to blow away those three Land Cleaving Realm monsters. His confidence stemmed from the Four Yuan Returning Fiend Banner he had refined again, which, although only three were left, were just enough to deal with each one of the monsters.

However, he still did not know just how powerful the Four Yuan Returning Fiend Banner truly was. If it could severely injure the Dark Skin Monster with a single strike, he could follow up with a sword blow to finish it off. But if it only resulted in a slight injury, he would have wasted these three treasures.

After some thought, Zhou Heng decided not to take such a risk. The defense of these Dark Skin Monsters was infuriatingly strong. The Four Yuan Returning Fiend Banner might not be able to inflict a heavy blow as, after all, it was only a treasure that an Open Heaven Realm Expert had bestowed upon Zhang Zaiyun to suppress those at the Initial Separation Realm. It was quite a stretch to use it against Land Cleaving Realm Demon Beasts.

Given the situation, he chose to run!

Zhou Heng suddenly exerted more force, and the might of the Swift Cloud Radiant Step increased again. His figure truly became as fast as lightning, and, after just a few leaps, he had left the three Dark Skin Monsters far behind.

He slowed down, preparing to find a way to leave, but a pounding sound came from behind, and those three Dark Skin Monsters were actually still in pursuit!

Damn, these monsters have noses that are too keen!

Zhou Heng once again performed the Swift Cloud Radiant Step, sprinting forward. After three or four minutes, he saw several bodies of Dark Skin Monsters lying on the ground, clearly wounded by sharp blades rather than bitten or clawed to death.

He was initially startled, then realized that these must be the Dark Skin Monsters that had been chasing Nangong Yuerong and the others. They must have encountered a battle along the way and had been killed by them. Indeed, with their sensitive noses, even if they lost sight of their targets, they could track them by scent, a truly pesky ability, and the only solution was to kill them.

Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh. He moved as swiftly as flight, yet he didn’t dare to push the Swift Cloud Radiant Step to the limit any longer as it was too taxing. He maintained a speed just enough not to fall behind the Dark Skin Monsters, all the while observing the terrain to find a way to escape. fɾēewebnσveℓ.com

Hmm?

His eyes suddenly lit up as he spotted a cave ahead. The entrance was narrow; he could get inside, but the five-zhang-tall Dark Skin Monsters definitely could not. He could use the cave to shake off his pursuers.

With his mind made up, he immediately sped up, and in just a few leaps, he arrived outside the cave.

Boom!

A terrifying gust of wind swept past; someone in the cave had actually launched an attack at him! Zhou Heng promptly turned on his heel, dodging with Swift Cloud Radiant Step and leveled a cold gaze.

The one who had attacked him was none other than Nangong Yuerong! And in the cave, it wasn’t just her; there was also Jiang Xuanying and several Initial Separation Second Layer Heaven Martial Artists. They must have come together to fight, and like Zhou Heng, intended to use the cave to rest a bit.

"Zhou Heng, weren’t you very capable? Have some fun with those monsters outside!" Jiang Xuanling laughed heartily, standing shoulder to shoulder with Nangong Yuerong, guarding the cave entrance.

The rest of the Martial Artists also showed sinister smiles to Zhou Heng, each of them taunting and sneering. Since they couldn’t defeat Zhou Heng, this was the only way for them to vent their frustrations.

With two Initial Separation Third Layer Heaven Experts in position, taking advantage of the terrain, even Zhou Heng’s Swift Cloud Radiant Step was useless; it was absolutely impossible for him to get through.

And the figures of the three Dark Skin Monsters were drawing nearer and nearer, soon to catch up. As strong as Zhou Heng was, could he really resist three Land Cleaving Realm Demon Beasts? It was a dead end, certainly a dead end!

These people had all suffered at the hands of Zhou Heng and now, although they were in an extremely dangerous world, they still refused to let Zhou Heng, their strongest combatant, inside, focusing only on their personal grudges.

Zhou Heng’s lips curved into a cold smile. These fools had no idea that he still had the Nine Mystic Trial Tower — just a step inside it and, let alone Land Cleaving Realm, not even Open Heaven Realm or Spiritual Sea Realm Experts could harm him!

He didn’t use the Nine Mystic Trial Tower right away for two reasons: first, to challenge himself, and second, to observe this strange world.

This cave was not absolutely necessary for him to enter. But the more these people didn’t want him inside, the more he felt compelled to get in.

Zhou Heng drew the Black Sword, giving a grim smile, "I don’t like playing with monsters. You guys should go instead!" With a swing of his sword, the Black Sword danced out a dark dragon, swirling towards both Jiang Xuanling and Nangong Yuerong.

Ting! Ting!

Two crisp sounds rang out as Nangong Yuerong and Jiang Xuanling swung their weapons to meet his strike. The cave, though easy to defend and difficult to attack, also restricted their movement. They could only clash directly with Zhou Heng, and the three weapons collided, sending out sparks.

Jiang Xuanling’s purple greatsword and the Golden Sword that Nangong Yuerong had conjured with her Bloodline Power were simultaneously split in two!

Nangong Yuerong let out a muffled grunt, her pretty face turning pale. Her Golden Sword was derived from her Bloodline Power, equivalent to a part of her body; having it forcefully severed was tantamount to losing a finger. It caused immense pain and severely drained her vitality!

"What level of Magic Artifact is that, to be so sharp?" Jiang Xuanling incredulously yelled out.

Magic Artifacts were differentiated not only by Rank but also by Realm. Just as a Spiritual Sea Realm Expert could only use Magic Artifacts of the Spirit Sea Realm or higher, for using a lower Realm Magic Artifact would instantly destroy the Formation inside it due to the immense spiritual power.

The higher the Realm of the Magic Artifact, the more precious the materials used in its creation, and consequently, the more robust and sharp it would be.

Jiang Xuanling’s purple greatsword was an Initial Separation Realm Magic Artifact. Although its Rank was only Seventh Grade, to sever it with a single stroke would likely be impossible even for a Land Cleaving Realm Magic Artifact. It would take at least an Open Heaven Realm weapon!

Did this young man really possess an Open Heaven Realm Magic Artifact? Regardless of its Rank and the increase in battle power it offered, its unrivaled sharpness was enough!

"Quit the nonsense and just get out!" Zhou Heng snorted coldly, sword in hand, reaching out to grab Jiang Xuanling.

Jiang Xuanling had no power to leverage, and considering the cave’s narrowness, he had no room to dodge and was directly snatched by Zhou Heng, who grabbed him by the chest and threw him out.

"No—" Jiang Xuanling screamed in horror, as outside the cave, the three Land Cleaving Realm Dark Skin Monsters were charging at him, and he certainly didn’t want to die!

But now he had no say in the matter!

"One gone, four left. Don’t you think it’s a bit crowded in here?" Zhou Heng revealed a cold smile. Since these people wanted to block him outside the cave, he would let them taste what it was like.

Although doing so was wasting the strength of these people, Zhou Heng wasn’t concerned. There were too many people in this world worthy of being killed; a few less wouldn’t matter.

What remained of Nangong Yuerong’s four-person team fought against Zhou Heng. With Nangong Yuerong, an expert at the Initial Separation Third Layer Heaven who had grasped power, as the core, they could still barely cling to survival. Meanwhile, the three Land Cleaving Realm Dark Skin Monsters outside had already pursued, launching an attack at Jiang Xuanling.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Tumultuous forces surged. In a life or death struggle, Jiang Xuanling also brought out his last resort, a white halo appeared around him that could actually withstand attacks from the Land Cleaving Realm creatures!

But after just a dozen or so hits, the halo was covered with countless spider web-like cracks, obviously unable to hold on much longer.

There Jiang Xuanling stood at the mouth of the cave, trying desperately to charge back in, but every time he was blasted out by Zhou Heng with a punch— the halo could only protect him from injury, not neutralize the impinging force.

He was stuck, neither able to advance nor retreat, essentially pinned at the cave entrance.

Thump!

The halo finally shattered, disintegrating into millions of particles. With the loss of this protection, how could Jiang Xuanling withstand the Dark Skin Monsters’ assault? He was promptly bitten and dragged out by an arm.

The three monsters fought viciously over their prey, chittering and snapping. In just a few moments, they tore Jiang Xuanling apart, crunching his hands and feet a few times before swallowing them down.

As a Martial Artist of the Initial Separation Realm with formidable life force, Jiang Xuanling somehow didn’t die immediately despite his severe injuries, which only served to make his fate more miserable as he witnessed himself being devoured alive!

It wasn’t until one of the Dark Skin Monsters opened its gaping maw and bit through his neck that his suffering ended.

"Zhou Heng, you’re inhuman! We are all human beings; how can you do this!" someone shouted at Zhou Heng with a tremble in his voice, full of righteous indignation; he did not want to meet the same fate.

Zhou Heng laughed heartily, saying, "When you blocked me outside the cave, didn’t you just want to see me get torn apart by those three Demon Beasts? And now here you are, self-righteously scolding me. I really don’t understand how you can be so shameless?"

"If you want to play the whore, then play the whore, and don’t set up a shrine to chastity!"

His attacks grew more ferocious, while the three Dark Skin Monsters outside continuously rammed and dug at the cave with their heads and claws, trying to pry it open. But the cave was unexpectedly sturdy, and even the Land Cleaving Realm beasts couldn’t make a dent!

After a prolonged assault, Zhou Heng’s left hand twitched, and a Five-Colored Lotus suddenly burst forth, slamming toward Nangong Yuerong and her companions!

"Run for it!"

They all knew the power of the Five-Colored Lotus. Their faces whitened instantly. This was a cramped cave; how could such a deadly technique be used here? Should it explode, not only would they suffer, but even Zhou Heng would likely not escape unscathed.

This madman! Damn madman! If they had known, they would never have provoked him!

Boom!

The Five-Colored Lotus exploded violently. Zhou Heng’s strength had already surpassed that of a typical initiate of the Initial Separation Third Layer Heaven. The Five Elements Lotus Break could enhance his ability by an entire minor realm; it was still not enough to match the Land Cleaving Realm, but it was undoubtedly too much for anyone in the Initial Separation Realm to handle!

— Even Zhou Heng himself would be heavily injured if hit directly!

The dreadful energy fluctuation whipped through the cave like a tempest, roaring wildly.

Nangong Yuerong and her group all brought out their life-saving techniques, but aside from Nangong Yuerong, the other three were not from the Heavenly Star Sect and lacked such profound backgrounds. Two unlucky ones were directly thrown out of the cave by the savage blast.

As they staggered to their feet, dazed and disoriented, they faced the three vicious Dark Skin Monsters!

Another bloodbath ensued!

Zhou Heng emerged from the Nine Mystic Trial Tower; he didn’t want to experience the might of his own Five Elements Lotus Break. Having entered the Treasure Pagoda the instant before the explosion, he reappeared only after the most terrifying forces had swept through. The remaining shockwaves still rippled through the cave, but their lethality had considerably diminished.

Only two left! (To be continued. If you like this work, feel free to come to Qidian (qidian.com) and cast your recommendation votes or monthly tickets. Your support is the greatest motivation. Mobile users, please visit m.qidian.com to read.)