Shocking the Nine Heavens With My Sword
Chapter 181 - 174: Land Cleaving Second Layer Heaven (5/5, requesting monthly votes)

Chapter 181: Chapter 174: Land Cleaving Second Layer Heaven (5/5, requesting monthly votes)

Chapter 174: Land Cleaving Second Layer Heaven

Zhou Heng had emptied the mud and stones from the Nine Mystic Trial Tower, ascended to the third floor, and began to refine the Spirit Core. Meanwhile, Orchid Concubine and Xiao Huoshui continued to clean up the once again chaotic interior space of the tower. Although neither woman was particularly obsessive about cleanliness, the sight of the muddy mess was truly uncomfortable to behold.

The two women were busily engaged, while Zhou Heng sat cross-legged on the third floor, refining the Spirit Core.

Like Spirit Stones and Spiritual Energy, the simplest method to absorb a Spirit Core was through the pores of the skin, although this was also the slowest method and not as quick as direct ingestion.

Those in the Spirit Gathering Realm were not qualified to directly ingest Spirit Stones, as the vast Spiritual Energy could burst a person from within. Only upon reaching the Initial Separation Realm and having initially opened up the Dantian World, did one earn such a privilege.

Although the Spirit Core was the most essential and most refined part of a Spirit Stone, it wasn’t very hard. It could be easily crushed and then swallowed. Upon ingestion, a cool sensation immediately surged down through the throat to the stomach and disintegrated into billions of energy-rich and easily absorbable particles.

Zhou Heng circulated the Moonshadow Heart Jue, desperately absorbing these particles, each one providing him with a substantial accumulation of Spiritual Power and advancing his cultivation level.

Land Cleaving First Layer Heaven, Medium Period, Late Period, Peak!

After two full days and nights, Zhou Heng’s accumulation of power had reached the pinnacle of his current realm. Even if there was excess power, he could no longer continue to absorb it; to do so would be a waste and could even cause his body to burst!

He was ready to make a breakthrough to the Land Cleaving Second Layer Heaven!

Zhou Heng’s Divine Sense took human form, holding the Black Sword, and the Sky-soaring Nine Forms began anew.

Whiz, whiz, whiz—the sword shadows were bitingly cold, shining thousands of miles around, and the entire Dantian Space immediately emitted a thunderous roar. The chaotic skies remained unchanged, but the solidified land further sank and simultaneously expanded in area, with countless amounts of Spiritual Power solidifying to form a new territory.

Every breakthrough was a process of perfecting and expanding the Inner World.

Boom, boom, boom!

Half a day later, the process of Open Heaven and Land Cleaving came to a pause. Zhou Heng suddenly opened his eyes, his aura surged dramatically but instantly retracted back into his body. The leap in a Great Realm was terrifying; thus, after each breakthrough, he needed a period to adapt, yet after small realm breakthroughs, he could immediately control his own aura perfectly.

Land Cleaving Second Layer Heaven!

Zhou Heng did not immediately rise; nature’s spiritual energy was still cleansing his body, and the remaining energy of the Spirit Core was still transforming into his accumulated Spiritual Power. Although the amount was small, it was not to be wasted carelessly.

With further improvement in his three Bloodline Powers, Zhou Heng believed that by the time he reached the Land Cleaving Third Layer Heaven, the Azure Dragon Bloodline would achieve a perfect Ten Stars Heavenly Spirit Body, thus fully unleashing the power of the Nine Nether Ice Heaven Jue.

Another half day later, he finally stood up, satisfied.

It was time to counterattack!

He went down to the ground floor and saw what had been a filthy place was now spotlessly clean, except for a few water buckets in the corner that spoiled the view, filled with extremely murky dirty water.

Xiao Huoshui and Orchid Concubine were both listlessly lying on the bed. Initially, the two women did not see eye to eye, but without a third person to talk to and relieve their boredom, they had formed a certain friendship.

Upon hearing the sound of Zhou Heng coming downstairs, they both lazily propped up their upper bodies, their languid charm intoxicating.

"You finally came out!" Xiao Huoshui patted her ample chest, "Hurry up and take us to bathe, I’m filthy!"

Zhou Heng couldn’t help but laugh; these two women had no idea how long they had been toiling. Typically, such a task would be easy for someone in the Initial Separation Realm, but who in the Initial Separation Realm would stoop to do such menial labor? Especially since both women were used to being pampered, the whole experience left them with sore backs and aching waists, which was entirely psychological.

The three of them left the Nine Mystic Trial Tower and headed toward a valley they had previously discovered to have hot springs.

Half an hour later, Zhou Heng encountered a patrolling squad led by a Land Cleaving Realm martial artist with three Initial Separation Realm members following him. Fearless even against the Heaven-Opening Realm, he naturally wouldn’t fear these people and instantly met them head-on without dodging.

"Eh, it’s him!" The Land Cleaving Realm expert spotted Zhou Heng first, hurriedly took out a piece of paper, glanced at it, and immediately showed a look of surprise as he waved his hand, "It’s this kid who took the Spirit Core, you guys quickly send the signal, I’ll hold him off!"

The battle of the Land Cleaving Realm was something the Initial Separation Realm could not partake in, so the three stepped back, taking out signal flares from their bosoms and firing them into the sky. With a whistle, they exploded high above, forming a dirt-gray pattern.

"You think you can block me?" Zhou Heng smiled slightly. At the Initial Period of the Land Cleaving, he could slash an expert at the Peak of the Third Layer Heaven of Land Cleaving, and now having ascended a minor realm, killing became even easier.

"Hmph, we are in the same realm. Although I may not be able to defeat you, holding you off for a few minutes is no trouble at all!" the Land Cleaving Realm expert proudly said. He too was at the Second Layer Heaven of Land Cleaving, and his aura was even stronger than Zhou Heng’s.

"Then try and block me!" Zhou Heng sneered. He harbored deep hatred for all members of the Mao Family, including those who sought to kill his father—those should be prepared to be killed in return!

With the Swift Cloud Radiant Step deployed, he directly faced his opponent, the Black Sword brandished toward his neck.

The vigor of a Land Cleaving Realm martial artist was not to be wasted!

The man only saw a blur before Zhou Heng appeared in front of him, black sword shadows dancing before him, creating wave after wave of Sword Waterfalls. He recognized this as the Flying Waterfall Sword Technique, an Earth Level lower grade martial arts technique, which only enhanced Zhou Heng’s battle power from the Initial Period to the Late Period of the Second Layer Heaven.

Control over momentum could not enhance the power of a martial arts technique; it only made it impossible for the opponent to block or evade. The true killing power still depended on the rank of the martial arts technique itself. For instance, how could a martial artist who mastered momentum yield the same power from a Human Level lower grade sword technique as from a Heaven Level upper grade sword technique?

The man had not mastered such momentum, making it totally impossible for him to evade that strike, but since he was at the Peak Second Layer Heaven, what would taking a hit matter?

With his defensive power, he could take the hit head-on!

Although it would damage him, it didn’t matter, as in a few minutes, several Heaven-Opening Realm big shots would arrive and easily slay Zhou Heng.

He didn’t need to win; just stalling Zhou Heng for these few minutes was enough.

As Zhou Heng swung his sword, the man, along with the weapon in his hand, was cleaved in two. A head, too, was severed from its neck, blood spurting wildly—so vigorous was the blood of a Land Cleaving Realm expert that the blood spurt shot two zhang high!

The man’s head rolled numerous times on the ground before stopping, his face still filled with disbelief, seemingly unable to accept the fact that he had been beheaded with a single stroke.

Indignant and wronged!

After all, he was a Peak Second Layer Heaven expert; how could he possibly be annihilated by a late-stage battle power of the Second Layer Heaven with a single strike?

Zhou Heng immediately proceeded to kill the three Initial Separation Realm martial artists. These men might once have attacked his father!

Sword Waterfalls were swept out, and beneath the Swift Cloud Radiant Step, the three could not escape and were instantly slaughtered, their blood staining the wilderness. Despite the Flying Waterfall Sword Technique being only an Earth Level lower grade martial arts technique, could the power of each strike, fueled by strength far surpassing the Peak of Land Cleaving Third Layer Heaven, be measured as merely Late Second Layer Heaven?

"Let’s go!" Zhou Heng took the two women into the Nine Mystic Trial Tower, and using his full power with the Swift Cloud Radiant Step, he instantly covered dozens of miles, leaving even Heaven-Opening Realm experts trailing far behind.

Along the way, he encountered several more Mao Family patrols. Zhou Heng showed no mercy, eliminating each one completely. If his current strength had been greater, he would have forced his way directly to the Mao Family headquarters to cause a massive uproar.

To think of harming his father meant slaughtering them all, leaving none behind!

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