Shocking the Nine Heavens With My Sword
Chapter 159 - 154: Essence Blood of the Gold Devouring Clan (1/3)

Chapter 159: Chapter 154: Essence Blood of the Gold Devouring Clan (1/3)

Chapter 154: Essence Blood of the Gold Devouring Clan

Zhou Heng picked up the jade bottle, and the instant he touched it, a stream of information immediately entered his mind.

It was a bottle of blood, purified essence blood from an ancient and mysterious race known as the Gold Devouring Clan. This race had an innate ability to devour metal to strengthen their bodies. Not only was their brutal strength formidable, but their flesh was like metal, indestructible!

If one could refine this bottle of essence blood, then they might gain the ability of the Gold Devouring Clan. However, if one could not subdue the violent force within the essence blood, the outcome would be dire—transformed into metal by the essence blood, one would die instantly!

Moreover, the chances of failure were far greater than those of success, truly an extremely dangerous endeavor. But if one survived, the power of the body would be elevated to a terrifying level, and the defensive power would be exceedingly formidable!

Zhou Heng’s heart was pounding with excitement!

Strictly speaking, the characteristic of the Gold Devouring Clan was actually not much different from the Black Sword; one devoured metal while the other consumed the essence of the dead. One increased physical strength and a sturdy physique, and the other increased the accumulation of spiritual power.

Since the two did not conflict, why not have both?

As for the possibility of being unable to subdue the essence blood, Zhou Heng naturally did not even consider it. The Black Sword could suppress the Eternal; it certainly wouldn’t be afraid of any potential revolt from this bottle of essence blood!

Without a moment’s hesitation, Zhou Heng popped the stopper and positioned the bottle to his lips, gulping down the blood within just a couple of swallows. Instantly, a warm current entered his throat, moving to his stomach, then disintegrated into billions of particles spreading throughout his body, finally reconvening in his Dantian.

The particles shimmered with golden light, and they quickly assembled into a humanoid shape, entirely cast from metal, even the strands of hair were glistening metallic filaments. Just like with the Yellow Dragon Pill, the gold person formed by the essence blood exerted much greater pressure on Zhou Heng!

"Audacious vermin, how dare you covet the innate ability of the Gold Devouring Clan, prepare to die!" The golden figure soared into the air, conjuring a golden hammer in its hand and smashing it down on Zhou Heng’s head.

This was not a physical attack, but one from the conscious world, a contest at the level of Divine Sense. If his Divine Sense were to collapse, Zhou Heng would become a living dead man, and his body would be assimilated into metal by the power of the essence blood.

"Hmph!" Zhou Heng snorted heavily. He had been practicing the Sky-soaring Nine Forms for many days, and although he had yet to master it fluidly, he would not be restricted by power in this conscious world.

His cultivation level of Divine Sense had long exceeded the Realm!

The might of the Sky-soaring Nine Forms was even more majestic than the oppression of the Dragon’s Power. At his snort, the gold person actually froze for a split second. But that was just an instant, and it charged at Zhou Heng again.

It was not that the Sky-soaring Nine Forms were not powerful enough, but that Zhou Heng was simply incapable of unleashing the true power of this swordsmanship! On the other hand, the Gold Devouring Clan could devour metal to enhance the strength of their bodies, a heaven-defying ability, and the owner of this essence blood before its purification did not know how terrifyingly powerful it had grown.

That’s why there was a saying that refining essence blood was extremely dangerous.

Zhou Heng waved one hand and the Broken Sword in black instantly appeared in his grasp. The Sky-soaring Nine Forms were deployed, and he began to brandish sword shadows that seemed to annihilate the heavens and the earth.

Boom!

Just like the Azure Dragon’s Soul in the Yellow Dragon Pill, the gold person had no ability to resist in the face of the Sky-soaring Nine Forms, under the Black Sword, and was instantaneously reduced into countless shattered shadows, fully integrating into Zhou Heng’s body.

Zhou Heng’s body shook violently as he rapidly absorbed the innate ability of the Gold Devouring Clan, undergoing a transformation akin to rebirth!

He had already gained Bloodline Power from the Yellow Dragon Pill, which was simple as it added an ability to him and could be almost equivalent to Martial Arts Techniques. However, the essence blood of the Gold Devouring Clan was completely different, intending to totally overwrite the structure of Zhou Heng’s body!

Once this transformation was complete, except for his mind which would remain the same, his body would be identical to that of the Gold Devouring Clan!

At that time, he could no longer be considered human, but a member of the Gold Devouring Clan.

How could this be?

Zhou Heng’s gaze sharpened; he had no desire to tire of being human, to change into an alien race. His flesh and hair were given by his parents; he had not even seen his mother’s face yet. If he were to become a golden person and meet his mother, wouldn’t that anger her to death, to have given birth to such a monster after a ten-month pregnancy!

Suppress!

Zhou Heng only wanted the ability of the Gold Devouring Clan to devour metal; he had no intention of being assimilated into an alien race.

At this point, the Black Sword could no longer help. The Gold Devouring Clan were above humans in the hierarchy of life, and this body transformation was seen by the Black Sword as beneficial to Zhou Heng. Since it was beneficial, why would it interfere?

Fortunately, the hostile will within the essence blood had been obliterated, and Zhou Heng forcefully controlled the essence blood with his will, limiting the transformation to the bones of his right hand.

One hour, three hours, ten hours, a day!

After two whole days, this transformation was finally complete!

Zhou Heng revealed a relieved smile, wiping the sweat from his forehead, and suddenly his mood relaxed, feeling immensely fatigued.

He raised his right hand; from the outside, it looked no different from that of an ordinary person. But if one were to cut open the skin, they would discover that the entire skeletal structure of his palm had turned golden yellow.

The Gold Devouring Clan consumed metal orally, devouring it to gain strength and using the metal essence to increase the toughness of their bodies. However, Zhou Heng had confined this ability to his right hand, to be precise, the bones of his fingers.

These finger bones could devour metal!

Zhou Heng had no intention of turning himself into one of the Gold Devouring Clan’s Golden People, but strengthening every bone in his body was acceptable. As long as he obtained enough metal essence, the bones throughout his body would become indestructible.

Let’s give it a try!

Zhou Heng took a long sword, a regular blade he often hung at his waist for show.

As he grasped the blade with his right hand, with a thought, numerous golden particles immediately flowed from the sword into his body. At that moment, he seemed to be communicating with the long sword and could clearly see the path of those golden particles.

The speed wasn’t very fast as the particles attached themselves to his bones one by one, strengthening his body and giving him a tiny bit of brutal strength. Compared to his current Land Cleaving Realm level spiritual power, these additions were minuscule.

Zhou Heng stopped. With his left hand’s index and middle fingers together, he instantly underwent Metallic Transformation, turning them into a dagger-like shape and slashing across his own right hand. Blood gushed out immediately, revealing golden bones within.

It was as if he felt no pain; he grabbed the sword again with his right hand, and with another thought, the rate at which the golden particles surged into his body skyrocketed. In only two or three breaths’ time, the long sword disintegrated into decay.

—its essence had been devoured by Zhou Heng to strengthen his body.

Whether it was the enhancement of his physique or the growth of strength, the gains were pitifully small! But this was understandable; the sword was merely ordinary iron with scarcely any metal, so how could it provide Zhou Heng with much benefit?

But what if he devoured an iron mine or a gold mine?

Zhou Heng couldn’t help but get excited.

He had cut his palm as a test to see if using the Gold Devouring Clan’s transmutation on his right hand’s bones could speed up the devouring and refinement process, and it proved to be extremely effective, with the speed difference being at least a hundredfold!

Activating the Azure Dragon’s power, a bright, moist light enveloped his right hand which quickly healed, becoming as delicate and luminous as a newborn’s, with not a hint of effeminacy. His fingers were long and strong, exuding a robust masculinity.

It was time to share the good news of his breakthrough with his father and the others!

Zhou Heng descended the steps.

The Orchid Concubine had long been waiting for Zhou Heng. Now that he controlled her life and freedom, if she wanted to leave, even to abscond with the treasure of the Nine Mystic Trial Tower, she would first have to beguile Zhou Heng, and then seize an opportunity to launch a sneak attack.

Hum, a flash of light, and Zhou Heng appeared at the second-floor staircase entrance; the Orchid Concubine immediately greeted him with a flirtatious smile. But her smile abruptly froze after only two steps, her face showing an unbelievable shock.

Zhou Heng had just made his breakthrough and his aura was not very stable, emitting a Land Cleaving Realm’s presence like the tumultuous waves of a tempest.

Indeed, the Orchid Concubine was no Martial Path genius. She managed to reach the Initial Separation Realm only by consuming many miraculous spirit pills, with an unending supply of resources from the Royal Family pushing her to such heights.

But haven’t you seen a pig run, even if you haven’t eaten pork? Nangong Hong was of the Land Cleaving Realm, and she was more than familiar with the aura of this realm.

Land Cleaving, Land Cleaving Realm?

The Orchid Concubine was dumbfounded. Now what?

With each Martial Realm separated by a Great Realm, the difference is an absolute crush unless you are a freak of nature like Zhou Heng who could challenge across a Great Realm. Even so, Zhou Heng, from the Initial Separation Third Layer Heaven, would find it tough to kill a martial artist from the Land Cleaving First Layer Heaven!

Being a Great Realm apart was like the distance between heaven and earth!

Zhou Heng’s advancement into the Land Cleaving Realm meant that no matter what schemes the Orchid Concubine devised, they were useless. Before absolute power, everything was illusory, in vain.

Even if Zhou Heng sat still and let her hack away, she wouldn’t inflict the slightest injury on him even if she exhausted her strength; such was the gap between Great Realms! The higher the realm, the wider the gap, and reaching the Divinity Transformation Realm, a mere thought could reduce countless Nascent Soul Realm experts to ashes!

The Orchid Concubine had a grand plan, hoping to kill Zhou Heng, seize the Nine Mystic Trial Tower, and continue to be her noble self, the Noble Consort, or even use the tower to ascend to the throne of the Empress.

This belief was what kept her going, but now it had utterly collapsed!

The Land Cleaving Realm, the absolute power crush, made her clever tricks and schemes utterly futile.

She was doomed to spend her life in this accursed place!

For a moment, the Orchid Concubine was in utter despair, thinking only of death, in a cage of absolute silence that was more dreadful than any torture.

How could this monster’s cultivation improve so rapidly? Was he even human?

Hmm!

The Orchid Concubine’s eyes suddenly gleamed with brightness. If Zhou Heng could break into the Land Cleaving Realm so quickly, he could also quickly advance to the Open Heaven Realm, Mountains and Rivers Realm, Spirit Sea Realm, and perhaps even the Nascent Soul Realm!

Once that day arrived, wouldn’t Zhou Heng become one of the mightiest individuals on the entire continent? To be the woman of such an expert, or even just a mere female slave—would the authority in her hands be any less than a small Noble Consort of the Cold Blue Country?

Forget Nangong Hong; even Nangong Changkong would have to kneel at her feet!

(This is filler content modified because the previous word count was already set, and it needed to exceed the original word count to be altered, apologies!)(This is filler content modified because the previous word count was already set, and it needed to exceed the original word count to be altered, apologies!)(To be continued. If you like this work, welcome to Qidian (qidian.com) to vote for recommendations or monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please read on m.qidian.com.)