Shocking the Nine Heavens With My Sword
Chapter 170 - 165: The Cheap Uncle? (1/5)

Chapter 170: Chapter 165: The Cheap Uncle? (1/5)

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The Heavenly Star Sect had already sent people to invite An Luochen, promising great rewards. Having one more expert at the Heaven-Opening Realm meant an increased chance of victory, which was tied to ten percent of a Spirit Stone Mine’s output!

An Luochen readily agreed to come. Lured by countless Spirit Stones, he naturally did not mind lending a hand. After all, there was no loss if he failed. A Martial Artist’s life inevitably included failure, and those who could not recover from it had no right to have come this far!

Both Zhou Heng and An Luochen were promised the same conditions; if they could win ten percent of the Spirit Stone Mine for the Cold Blue Country, then they would receive twenty percent of the annual yield from that portion.

That number was not low, considering they also had to share a portion with the Wind Howl Sect, the power behind the curtains. After all, that twenty percent in comparison to the entire output of the Spirit Stone Mine accounted for a whole two percent and being given to individuals, it was certainly a generous offer.

Such lavish rewards were also to motivate Zhou Heng and An Luochen to give their all, because if they lost, they would get nothing! Generosity is built on the basis of possession.

An Luochen was not afraid of the Heavenly Star Sect going back on their word afterward. To repudiate the account of a Loose Cultivator at the Heaven-Opening Realm was no trifling matter!

Time was running short, and everyone immediately set off. Nangong Changkong and Liu Qingxuan inevitably felt awkward upon seeing Zhou Heng, particularly Liu Qingxuan, who was convinced his beloved son had been killed by Zhou Heng and glared daggers at him!

Since Mei Yixiang was also accompanying them, and that unfathomably powerful Uncle Fu stood solemnly beside her, how could Liu Qingxuan dare to make a move? Besides, even if he really did make a move, he would first be utterly incapable of harming Zhou Heng, and secondly, Xiao Yuheng and Tian Junzi were also present; even without Mei Yixiang, they were enough to stop him.

Tian Junzi also felt a bit embarrassed to see Zhou Heng. That day, when Ying Bingfeng forced the marriage on Xiao Huoshui, with his experience, he naturally guessed it was a trap aimed at Zhou Heng. However, he had not stepped forward because he was fearful of the Ying Family, which made him feel guilty when seeing Zhou Heng again.

Xiao Huoshui accompanied Zhou Heng openly and served him in the capacity of a maid in front of others, which made all the men in the company green with envy—it was, of course, impossible that there were only six people on the trip. The Heavenly Star Sect had deployed many from the younger generation, as observing battles between high-realm Martial Artists could help them comprehend the Martial Path!

Although the headquarters of the Heavenly Star Sect was not in the Imperial Capital, it wasn’t far, and everyone in the Sect knew of Xiao Huoshui’s stunning beauty. Which man, after seeing Xiao Huoshui, wouldn’t become infatuated?

Moreover, behind Xiao Huoshui stood Old Ancestor Xiao. If someone could establish a relationship with her, it was tantamount to connecting with Xiao Yuheng. Who wouldn’t be enchained by this seductive beauty?

Yet now, this seductive woman had thrown herself into a man’s arms and even willingly became his servant!

This was utterly infuriating!

If it were said that Zhou Heng had married Xiao Huoshui, they could still sourly claim that Zhou Heng had merely picked up a cast-off. But Xiao Huoshui was now willingly subordinate to him, and no matter how promiscuous her past, none could cast aspersions upon Zhou Heng.

Some knew better than to provoke Zhou Heng and kept their jealousy to themselves, while others, not believing Zhou Heng to be as formidable as touted, occasionally provoked him with their gazes. They competed like peacocks vying for a mate, desperately trying to show off in front of Xiao Huoshui as if defeating Zhou Heng would make her their female servant.

Zhou Heng had already surpassed the Initial Separation Realm; the provocations of these individuals were to him like the croaking of mangy toads by the roadside, which he certainly wouldn’t go out of his way to squash just because they were noisy.

Unworthy!

If he truly became angry and struck them down with a single punch, the world would become quieter, but he had no time to teach them a lesson or satisfy their competitive ferocity.

As for Mei Yixiang, she naturally wouldn’t trouble herself to travel on foot when there was a luxurious carriage to ride in. The carriage was pulled by eight Green Wind Moon Chaser Beasts, known for their astonishing speed and able to run continuously for half a month without rest, a Demon Beast with extraordinary endurance.

Both Zhou Heng and Xiao Huoshui unreservedly got into the carriage. Zhou Heng was fine, but Xiao Huoshui loved her ease; she would never stand if she could sit, and she would never sit if she could lie down.

For this reason, they rarely made public appearances, which allowed Zhou Heng to avoid accruing a substantial amount of resentment. But what could a man and two women be doing inside a carriage all day?

They were obviously engaging in activities that everyone loves!

However, with the powerful Uncle Fu, stronger than anyone at the Open Heaven Realm, personally acting as the coachman, who would dare to sneak a peek? They could only continuously conjure up lascivious fantasies of a dragon playing with two phoenixes in their minds, drooling secretly while bitterly cursing shamelessness.

Seven days later, the group arrived at the northeastern border of the Cold Blue Country; just beyond lay the junction of four countries, where the newly discovered Spirit Stone Mine Vein lay hidden.

Mei Yixiang’s carriage was of the highest quality; even traveling through rugged mountain paths, there was no sensation of shaking. Clearly, there must have been some Formation on the carriage to alleviate the bumps, allowing for a smooth ride as if on flat ground.

Even the carriage had a Formation laid on it; this was truly splurging to the point of ruining oneself!

Zhou Heng couldn’t help but remark, but Mei Yixiang seemed unconcerned, countering, "Then what’s the point in keeping all those Array Masters? To let them sleep in every day out of boredom?"

After crossing two mountains, a group of people entered a valley, one corner of which had collapsed, revealing a stretch of grayish-white mountain. The nearby spiritual energy was incredibly dense—almost solidifying into a tangible form.

This was the location of the Spirit Stone Mine Vein. A few days ago, with thunder rolling and relentless downpours, a section of the mountain had experienced a landslide. A person passing by to collect herbs suddenly discovered the presence of spirit stones within the fallen rocks!

The news did not stay hidden for long, and the ruling sects of the four nations quickly got involved, leading to the current scene where a competition was being held to decide on the distribution of benefits.

All four nations had dispatched their elite troops to guard the area: first, to prevent any audacious individuals from trying to steal the spirit stones, and second, to keep watch over the other three nations. These troops would be stationed here until the entire mine was exhausted.

Rough estimates suggested that a Spirit Stone Mine Vein could be mined for at least a decade.

Tents were pitched all over the valley, with the four nations distinctly separated, each occupying a corner. Zhou Heng and his companions naturally moved into the largest tent, while Mei Yixiang had an even better spot—a horse-drawn carriage.

At the moment, only two of the four nations, Cold Blue Country and Water Origin Country, had arrived. As these two nations were old enemies, their meetings would inevitably result in life-and-death struggles, naturally devoid of any friendly chatter.

But to Zhou Heng’s surprise, he actually received a visitor from Water Origin Country.

"Brother Zhou, it’s been several months since we last met. How has everything been?" The visitor was none other than Fang Heqing, Young Master Fang, who had dealt with Zhou Heng before. It was in Thousand Yuan City that he had caused significant harm to Liu Yue, which also marked the beginning of Zhou Heng’s grudge with the Liu Family.

"Thanks to your blessing, very well!" Zhou Heng clasped his fist and smiled. This Young Master Fang was obviously not a simple character. Being able to command the respect of over forty Martial Artists in the Initial Separation Realm and establish absolute authority was not due to his family’s fortune but to his own prestige.

However, Zhou Heng had long since surpassed the realm of Initial Separation. No matter how cunning and monstrous Fang Heqing’s intelligence was, with just a sword and a fist, Zhou Heng could shatter and blast everything apart!

"Let me introduce you, this is my younger sister, Fang Xiwen. Wenwen, this is Zhou Heng, Brother Zhou, whom I’ve told you about!" Fang Heqing had not come alone, but with a beautiful girl dressed in beige martial attire, radiating an impressive and proud demeanor.

The young lady had just turned twenty and was exceptionally beautiful, with black hair, pure skin, bright eyes, and shining teeth. Standing tall and erect, her height was only two inches shorter than Zhou Heng’s, with long slender legs that accentuated her stature even more.

"Brother Zhou!" Fang Xiwen bowed slightly in greeting, yet her demeanor carried a trace of disdain.

Zhou Heng wasn’t bothered by petty matters, nor did he feel like quibbling with a haughty young lady. He simply nodded at her and then said to Fang Heqing, "Brother Fang, aren’t you afraid someone will accuse you of colluding with the enemy and betraying your country by coming here?"

"Psh, who would dare accuse my brother of treason!" Fang Xiwen immediately snorted with contempt, looking at Zhou Heng as if he were a country bumpkin.

"Hahaha, my sister lacks a sense of humor. Brother Zhou, don’t take it to heart!" Fang Heqing laughed heartily, slung an arm around Zhou Heng’s shoulder, and sat down to one side. The makeshift tent naturally lacked tables and chairs; there were only two square rocks placed down to serve as seats.

Zhou Heng smiled. With Fang Heqing’s intelligence, he must have realized his sister’s arrogance from the start, yet why would he still bring her over? Could it be that he wanted to make himself an advantageous uncle-in-law? Zhou Heng couldn’t help but make such a guess, for he found no other reason for Fang Xiwen to be here.

Fang Xiwen was clearly dissatisfied, but she did not dare to defy Fang Heqing and storm off. Instead, she stood off to the side, angry—there were only two "chairs," and there was no seat for her.

"Brother Zhou, you are here with Senior An to broaden your horizons, right?" Fang Heqing glanced at Fang Xiwen, and although his expression appeared mild, Fang Xiwen immediately suppressed the discontent on her face.

Zhou Heng said with a faint smile, "No, I’m going up there to fight!"

Fang Heqing was taken aback, then burst into roaring laughter, patting Zhou Heng on the shoulder, "I haven’t seen you for a few months, and your sense of humor has gotten much stronger!"

Zhou Heng also laughed a few times. In reality, he was telling the stark truth, but there was nothing he could do if someone else didn’t believe him.

Presumably, Fang Heqing must have had someone investigate him after he left; otherwise, he wouldn’t know about his relationship with An Luochen. However, no matter how much Fang Heqing valued Zhou Heng, it was impossible for him to pay attention to him all the time, and how could he know that Zhou Heng had recently advanced to the Land Cleaving Realm!

When he first visited Thousand Spirit City, Zhou Heng had just stepped into the Initial Separation Realm. Who could have expected that in just a few months, he would rapidly advance to the Land Cleaving Realm?

The two exchanged pleasantries without mentioning anything of importance. Not long after, Fang Heqing stood up to take his leave, but Fang Xiwen stayed behind.

"Zhou Heng, you can see that my brother thinks highly of you. But don’t even think about leaping out of your league—I will never like you!" Fang Xiwen declared proudly, her slender, pale neck arched high like that of a noble swan.

Zhou Heng knew well that Fang Heqing had left on purpose to let him have some alone time with Fang Xiwen. That fellow was indeed harboring the idea of becoming a favorable uncle-in-law! (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 read at m.qidian.com.)