Shocking the Nine Heavens With My Sword
Chapter 183 - 176 Silkworm Killing (2/5)

Chapter 183: Chapter 176 Silkworm Killing (2/5)

Chapter 176: Silkworm Assassination

In the following days, the people of the Mao Family experienced what seemed an unending nightmare.

Every day, someone was assassinated by Zhou Heng; some died in inconceivable ways. Even though the four Heaven-Opening Realm experts personally searched the area and confirmed there were no ambushes, people were still killed, their heads grotesquely severed, and blood spilled everywhere.

He was like a ghost!

No one knew what methods Zhou Heng used, but the people of the Mao Family realized that no place was safe anymore!

Fifty-two, forty-one, twenty-nine, fifteen!

With each passing day, the number of people in the Mao Family greatly reduced. Zhou Heng always found an opportunity to harvest their lives.

The situation had shifted from them wanting to find Zhou Heng to retrieve the Spirit Core, to whether they could bring any survivors back. The four Heaven-Opening Realm experts, not fearing for their lives, couldn’t protect the others. Their faces had long lost any semblance of dignity, and they grimaced bitterly all the time.

To be honest, they didn’t really regard those underlings highly. In the eyes of Heaven-Opening Realm experts, even warriors of the Land Cleaving Realm were mere ants, let alone those at the Initial Separation Realm. But now, Zhou Heng was figuratively urinating on their heads. How could they tolerate this humiliation?

If it were said that the four white-haired men were just angry, then the others were utterly terrified, their minds in disarray, each one a ghost of their former selves. If not for the strong suppression by the four Heaven-Opening Realm experts, deserters would have inevitably appeared.

They began to retreat, and Zhou Heng pursued relentlessly. Whenever there was a chance, he would kill one or two, following them like an unyielding spirit.

The four Heaven-Opening Realm experts were utterly helpless. All they could do was to travel day and night, not giving Zhou Heng any opportunity. That a junior of the Land Cleaving Realm could drive four mighty experts to the extent of foregoing rest, was a rare spectacle in the world.

They had considered counterattacking, even intentionally using their subordinates as bait to lure Zhou Heng and then kill him. But the result was that Zhou Heng took the bait and then retreated with incredible speed, mocking them greatly.

The people of the Mao Family traversed over mountains and began a great escape, while Zhou Heng was relentless in pursuit, like a reaper claiming lives, never showing mercy when opportunities arose.

Half a month later, the original group of over a hundred from the Mao Family had dwindled to only five—four at the Heaven-Opening Realm and one at the Initial Separation Realm. By this point, the four Heaven-Opening Realm experts were determined to protect the life of the remaining person at all costs, as this was the last shred of their dignity.

Three out of the four experts were always on guard, no matter how Zhou Heng tried to mislead or even use himself as bait, they wouldn’t take it, sending at most one to strike against him.

Zhou Heng did not force the issue anymore. He had come to know that these people belonged to the Mao Family, and given the number of experts the family could command, including warriors at the Mountains and Rivers Realm, their backing must be of the Mountains and Rivers Realm level or higher.

There are many families with the surname Mao in the world, but only a few could reach the Mountains and Rivers Realm or higher.

He thought that a trip to Bright Moon Country would certainly provide some clues.

It might not necessarily be a family from Bright Moon Country, but finding such a high-level family shouldn’t be difficult.

Zhou Heng returned to the Nine Mystic Trial Tower and began refining the Life Essence Qi absorbed from the frenzied slaughter of the Black Sword in recent days. The essence of over a hundred people, including about thirty from the Land Cleaving Realm, contained powerful energy.

It took him half a day to digest it, and his cultivation level leapt from the initial period to the middle period of the Second Layer Heaven of the Land Cleaving Realm. This was only because his Dantian space was too vast; otherwise, he could have directly advanced to the Third Layer Heaven of the Land Cleaving Realm!

There are gains and losses; such is the unavoidable truth.

He had Xiao Huoshui and Orchid Concubine leave the Nine Mystic Trial Tower, and the three crossed over several mountain ranges to enter an ancient city.

Having pursued for over half a month, they had long left the territory of Cold Blue Country, and Zhou Heng naturally did not care where he had run off to. The three asked some pedestrians in the city and learned that they were now in the territory of Xinlan Country.

After spending so many days outdoors and a significant drain on the food reserves inside the Nine Mystic Trial Tower, the three found an inn to stay in and bought some food supplies.

None of them knew how to cook, and after eating dried food for so many days, they were sick of it, so they went to a restaurant for a meal.

The appearance of two seductively beautiful women naturally attracted the attention of many, but both being long-time figures of authority, carried themselves with a dignified air that made others dare not to profane them.

Thus, those without real power dared not cause trouble but occasionally cast greedy glances at the two women, fantasizing about their charming figures, and those who couldn’t help themselves simply left for the brothel.

The three relaxed, enjoying the food and savoring the fine wine.

Orchid Concubine was almost moved to tears; how many days had it been since she had eaten something hot? She had never expected that the stir-fried dishes could be so delicious and the wine so mellow.

After a few glasses of wine, a bright red flush appeared on their faces, making them appear even more attractive, and their watery eyes made them irresistibly seductive.

Zhou Heng admired Xiao Huoshui’s charm, while he blatantly ignored Orchid Concubine, despite many intimate encounters. He still felt annoyed by her presence—except when in bed.

Xiao Huoshui giggled as she ate, and casually slid off her embroidered shoes, placing her smooth, delicate feet on Zhou Heng’s foot, lightly stepping on it.

Zhou Heng’s heart stirred, as those soft and tender feet were indescribably comfortable to be stepped on by.

Orchid Concubine was racking her brain on how to please Zhou Heng, completely oblivious to the subtle movements between the two. Even if she had noticed, she wouldn’t dare say anything, for a female slave has no rights.

Zhou Heng was enjoying the delightful touch, when unexpectedly, Xiao Huoshui’s boldness grew, her feet climbing up from his calves to his thighs, her actions becoming bolder, her face adorned with an intoxicating allure.

This seductive woman, was she asking to be put in her place again?

Zhou Heng did not want to lose his composure in public, so he quickly glared at her, warning the seductive woman not to overdo it.

Xiao Huoshui covered her mouth and laughed, withdrawing her feet.

Just when Zhou Heng thought she had backed off, to his surprise, the soft, smooth feet were back on his thigh—and not just one, but two!

This seductive woman was not only unrestrained but had intensified her actions!

Zhou Heng couldn’t flip the table, so he had no choice but to let those beautiful feet slowly caress him.

Lost in the wonderful sensation, Zhou Heng involuntarily stopped his chopsticks, and Xiao Huoshui also paused, focusing intently on controlling her two feet.

Orchid Concubine finally noticed the odd behavior of the two, and couldn’t help but ask in surprise, "Why aren’t you eating anymore? Is it not tasty?"

"Mind your own business!" Zhou Heng glared at her and resumed eating.

Orchid Concubine was baffled by his glare, inwardly cursing him as a boorish, brutish country bumpkin—a complete bandit. Here she was, treating him well, and this was the thanks she got.

But, this bandit wasn’t just being unreasonable now; Orchid Concubine had long since grown accustomed to it. Not daring to get angry, she hung her head low, the picture of a wronged little wife.

"Hey, buddy, isn’t that a bit too much for treating a beauty?" A man with a bit of drunken swagger staggered over, his eyes fixated on Orchid Concubine’s ample chest, then slid over her porcelain-like face, as if unsure where to look.

"Beauty, what’s so good about this man? Better to follow your Master Liu, I guarantee I’ll cherish you!" The man said to Orchid Concubine, even reaching out a dirty hand towards her chest.

"Get lost!" Zhou Heng coldly snorted and threw a punch. Bang—the man instantly flew up into the air, tracing an arc before crashing down hard, overturning a table and sending dishes and utensils clattering to the ground.

"Is he, is he dead?"

"Liu Qi is dead!"

"That’s too much!"

The other three men at the table, all servants of the Zhang Family with a fairly equal status, stood up, their faces a mix of shock and anger. They had all curried favor with Liu Qi because his sister had married into the Zhang Family as a concubine, giving him a rising status.

That was why it was only Liu Qi who dared to harass Orchid Concubine, a beauty beyond their reach!

Yet, without a word, Zhou Heng had killed him on the spot, leaving them wondering how they would explain this when they returned.

"Sir, don’t you think you were too excessive? Liu Qi was merely showing some concern for the lady; was there really a need to strike so fatally?" One of them calmed his nerves and said to Zhou Heng, trying to buy time for messengers to arrive.

Zhou Heng glanced at him. He understood exactly what they were up to, but he did not care. Let them call anyone they wanted; a bad servant only reflects a bad master!

He did not mind initiating a killing spree. Slaughtering a few evildoers would not only increase his cultivation but also cleanse the city—why not relish the deed?

Why hold back on killing? Should he not kill?

Zhou Heng was certain, if these three had been mere mortals, by now, the two women would have been taken and violated!

He did not bother to argue with this minor warrior from the Spirit Gathering Realm, merely savoring his wine and leisurely enjoying the exquisite dishes.

The man had mustered considerable courage to speak to Zhou Heng, knowing full well that Zhou Heng had killed a spirit-gathering martial artist with one punch. Such power was beyond his imagination. After speaking his piece, he realized just how scared he was, his back drenched with sweat.

He had no courage to repeat himself, instead standing with another guard on the side, waiting for the family’s experts to arrive.

—The Zhang Family was a prominent, top-tier noble family in the city, always the ones to bully others. If they did not react to being trampled on, wouldn’t that be a massive loss of face?

The other patrons in the restaurant quickly settled their bills and left. This place was becoming a battleground of blades and shadows—no one dared stay any longer.

Soon enough, a noisy clamor arose as the Zhang Family’s people finally arrived.

(This content has been modified because the previous word count had already been determined; any changes had to exceed the original number of words. Sorry for the inconvenience!)(To be continued. If you like this work, please come to Qidian (qidian.com) to cast your votes and monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please visit m.qidian.com to continue reading.)