Shocking the Nine Heavens With My Sword
Chapter 156 - 151 Mysterious Forces (1/3)

Chapter 156: Chapter 151 Mysterious Forces (1/3)

Who was behind this?

Zhou Heng thought about it, realizing that he indeed had numerous enemies: the Liu Family, Nangong Family, Yue Family, and if one included the Ying Family, each of these forces had the power to obliterate Fengyu City with a wave of their hand!

"You’re thinking too much!" Xiao Huoshui scooped up the pouncing tiger cub, which particularly liked resting against her towering, soft chest and soon fell asleep contentedly in her arms.

"It’s not just Fengyu City, five other small cities suffered the same fate almost simultaneously. All the Martial Artists in the Spirit Gathering Realm were killed, and their hearts were even ripped out."

"The Old Ancestor said this isn’t personal vengeance, but some evil force practicing dark arts!"

Zhou Heng was taken aback for a moment and nodded. If such slaughter was happening in many places simultaneously, it likely wasn’t targeting his family specifically, as that would be too insane and meaningless.

However, what kind of force would commit such brutal acts, taking the hearts of Martial Artists in the Spirit Gathering Realm for what purpose? Even Demon Beasts favored eating the flesh of Martial Artists, not specifically choosing just the heart.

Xiao Yuheng said it was an evil force practicing dark arts, which did seem plausible. Offering hearts and heads as sacrifices had been a practice since ancient times, but in reality, such acts never succeeded in summoning Immortals or Evil Demons!

"To kill those in the Spirit Gathering Realm, a Martial Artist in the Initial Separation Realm could easily do it, but to nearly simultaneously wipe out every Spirit Gathering Realm Martial Artist in a city, that’s not something an Initial Separation Realm could achieve!" Zhou Heng calmed down, his thoughts racing.

"So, this force is very strong!" Xiao Huoshui nodded, "Moreover, the Old Ancestor fears this is just the beginning!"

Why kill Martial Artists in the Spirit Gathering Realm? Could it be the work of an enemy country, aiming to destroy the foundation of Cold Blue Country, leading the dynasty to crumble slowly on its own? When a succession breaks, the power will inevitably become disjointed, resulting in the country’s power dropping to its lowest.

But to send so many Martial Artists in the Initial Separation Realm into Cold Blue Country wasn’t an overnight task and would require meticulous planning and arrangement.

Zhou Heng couldn’t help thinking of the major heir from the Fang Family; if it was that person commanding from behind, he definitely could accomplish this!

Zhou Dinghai had undoubtedly used the Shadow Evasion Talisman, being tens of thousands of miles away from Fengyu City, in a huge circular area centered around Fengyu City with a diameter stretching up to twenty thousand miles. Finding a person within such a vast area was akin to looking for a needle in a haystack.

Zhou Heng didn’t rush out impulsively. For Zhou Dinghai, the safest place was currently Tianhang City, staying by An Luochen, the Expert of the Open Heaven Realm.

So, Zhou Dinghai should be heading to Tianhang City from somewhere. Of course, it was also possible that Zhou Dinghai would come directly to the Imperial Capital to find him.

Zhou Heng dared not leave lightly, so he decided to continue staying in the Imperial Capital. If Zhou Dinghai had gone to Tianhang City, An Luochen would certainly send someone with a message, and if Zhou Dinghai came to the Imperial Capital, he couldn’t leave either.

A day later, more big news broke out, with seven more towns within Cold Blue Country being struck, all Martial Artists in the Spirit Gathering Realm were wiped out, and even a passing Martial Artist from the Initial Separation Realm was killed, with his heart similarly taken.

This news could no longer be concealed, and it instantly spread throughout the Imperial Capital, causing everyone to talk. Who was behind this, specifically targeting Martial Artists in the Spirit Gathering Realm, and what use was there for the hearts they took?

Following that, every day new information arrived; one small town after another suffered such fate, Mortals unharmed, Body Refinement Realm unscathed, but Martial Artists reaching the Spirit Gathering Realm without exception met a deadly fate!

Instantly, the nation was shaken, everyone agreed this was the conspiracy of a hostile country, aiming for the slow death of Cold Blue Country!

Cold Blue Country bordered and had ongoing feuds with several countries, the longest and deepest enmity being with Water Origin Country, This incident was most likely orchestrated by them.

It rallied unprecedented unity across the nation, all demanding the Royal Family to deploy troops, otherwise, the nation would no longer be a nation in the long run!

However, before Nangong Hong ordered the troops stationed at the border to strike, the direction of the wind drastically changed.

—It wasn’t just Cold Blue Country that experienced such events, but also Water Origin Country and the other six countries bordering Cold Blue Country as well. They too suspected it might be the "neighbors’" doing and similarly prepared to declare war on the most likely adversary countries.

Every country had spies in enemy countries, and only when the news traveled back did everyone realize the scale of this disturbance was too great!

This force was too powerful, launching killings simultaneously in multiple countries—was this an attempt to fight the entire world alone?

Naturally, the move to deploy troops was halted, and each country began investigation as to what terrifying force was lurking within their own borders, even Bright Moon Country was alarmed and sent experts to aid in the investigation.

Although Zhou Heng was confident of Zhou Dinghai’s safety, three Shadow Evasion Talismans were sufficient to save his life thrice, yet without seeing the person or getting definite news, Zhou Heng couldn’t set his mind at ease, growing more anxious as he waited.

The past two days, he had been unable to focus on his cultivation, his family being his Achilles’ heel, and his father the person he cared about the most.

He had already requested Xiao Huoshui to deploy the power of the Xiao Family to look around the Imperial Capital, to bring Zhou Dinghai straight to his residence the moment he arrived, but as time dragged on day by day, there was still no trace of Zhou Dinghai, nor did An Luochen send any messages.

Zhou Heng sat daily in the courtyard waiting for news, filled with an urge to kill.

He swore that once he found out where that mysterious force was, he’d launch an attack that would turn the world upside down!

Bang!

The gate suddenly kicked open, and in walked a handsome young man dressed in lavish silks, elegant and graceful—it was Ying Bingfeng.

In Heavenly Treasure Pavilion, one cannot strike another, a rule not even he dared to break, but he could not contain his anger. Just a few days ago, Mei Yixiang was always running off to find Zhou Heng, preventing him from making his move. Today, he hatched a plan to lure Mei Yixiang away, so that he could kill Zhou Heng.

"Lowlife, Mei Yixiang is not someone you can touch, even thinking about her is a sin!" Ying Bingfeng looked at Zhou Heng with cold eyes. He was determined to have Mei Yixiang, but she was always cold towards him!

He was jealous of Zhou Heng. Even though Mei Yixiang had not shown any interest in Zhou Heng, the fact that a lowly citizen from a lower grade country received better treatment than him was unbearable!

Therefore, Zhou Heng must die!

"You, can die now!" declared Ying Bingfeng coldly, as if he were the high and mighty emperor.

Zhou Heng was in an extremely bad mood. He cast a cold glance at Ying Bingfeng and said, "Scram!"

"Ha, such big talk. Those who don’t know might think you’re from Land Cleaving Realm, and I’m from Initial Separation Realm!" Ying Bingfeng truly didn’t understand where Zhou Heng’s confidence came from. This youngster was indeed monstrous and could battle with someone from Land Cleaving Realm, but only ordinary ones.

As a key trainee of the Ying Family’s younger generation, how could his talent possibly be ordinary!

He possessed five times the Dantian space of an ordinary person from Land Cleaving Realm!

"Enough with the nonsense!" Zhou Heng frowned, stood up from the ground, and beckoned with his finger, "Perfect, I just wanted to beat someone up, and you’re the idiot I’m choosing!"

"What, idiot?" Ying Bingfeng’s face darkened. He had never been called an idiot before.

"Come fight!" Zhou Heng bellowed, initiating the attack.

"Truly seeking death!" Ying Bingfeng was uncontrollably furious. This despicable worm dared to strike him first – it was absolutely unforgivable! He flipped his hands and slapped towards Zhou Heng, as Vigorous Qi transformed into three wind wolves, which opened their fierce mouths in a roaring stance.

He didn’t need to use any martial arts techniques. His absolute power was enough to crush everything.

Zhou Heng snorted lightly, executed Swift Cloud Radiant Step, dodged the three wind wolves, and appeared to the left of Ying Bingfeng; his right hand swung out, as an Eight-Colored Lotus rapidly formed, hurtling towards Ying Bingfeng.

Ying Bingfeng also coldly snorted. He would certainly not evade an attack from a mere worm, and he was full of confidence in himself—his power was five times that of an ordinary person from the First Layer of Land Cleaving Realm, which was equivalent to the Second Layer!

He pushed with another palm, welcoming the Eight-Colored Lotus.

"Freeze!" Zhou Heng’s gaze turned sharply cold, and he swung his left hand. Bloodline Martial Technique activated, and Ying Bingfeng was immediately covered in a layer of ice.

"Eh!" Ying Bingfeng revealed a hint of surprise, but shook his body, the ice layer instantly shattered, and he hastily struck out his palm, hitting the Eight-Colored Lotus.

A loud crash echoed, and a fierce wind swirled around, instantly destroying the entire courtyard, turning dust into a mushroom cloud shooting directly into the sky.

Ying Bingfeng stepped back ten feet, hands behind his back, a flicker of puzzlement in his eyes.

Bloodline Martial Techniques and ordinary techniques were indistinguishable, but he knew that Zhou Heng had recently acquired the "Nine Nether Ice Heaven Jue," and the effect seemed exactly like the move Zhou Heng just used.

This couldn’t help but make people think that Zhou Heng was using the Nine Nether Ice Heaven Jue!

But how could this be possible!

Zhou Heng was confirmed to have a Twin Spirit Body of gold and fire attributes; how could he cultivate a water attribute Bloodline Martial Technique?

Could it be that he possessed a third bloodline power?

Ridiculous, how could anyone in the world possess three bloodline powers!

Or could this youngster have long cultivated a similar technique? But how could such a technique affect him? He was from Land Cleaving Realm, and for it to be a threat to him from a mere Initial Separation Realm worm, it must at least be a Heaven Level Technique!

Heaven Level Technique?

Ying Bingfeng’s eyes flashed with heat and greed. Even in the Ying Family, they only had lower grade Heaven Level Martial Techniques, and only those who really entered the central power of the Ying Family or were core trainees had the privilege to cultivate them!

He was indeed a key person nurtured by the family but not yet at the core level.

If he could obtain a Heaven Level Martial Technique from Zhou Heng, even just a lower grade one would increase his strength dramatically. And if it was a middle grade or upper grade, presenting it to the family would be a miraculous achievement, enough for him to advance into the center of power in the Ying Family!

"Hahaha, lowlife, you’re quite lucky, but everything you have will soon belong to me!" Ying Bingfeng laughed loudly and reached out his hand to strike Zhou Heng again, but this time he exerted his full strength. His palm turned into a huge, gray-bronze hand, rock-like, fiercely grabbing towards Zhou Heng.

He didn’t mind injuring or disabling Zhou Heng, as long as he left him breathing to force a confession.

National Day seven-day fun, five Chapters a day, sincerely asking everyone to save a monthly ticket for me! (To be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome to vote for recommendation tickets and monthly tickets at Qidian (qidian.com), your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users please visit m.qidian.com to read.)