Shocking the Nine Heavens With My Sword
Chapter 202 - 195: Open Heaven! (1/5)

Chapter 202: Chapter 195: Open Heaven! (1/5)

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Breaking through a realm absolutely must not be disturbed; this is something every Martial Artist knows and will avoid at all costs.

That’s why there is the practice of sequestering oneself to break through in hardship.

This sequestration is for protection, preventing outsiders from disturbing the process!

The breakthrough of a minor realm isn’t as critical—if a breakthrough fails, the consequences are limited. However, a major realm breakthrough is different; failure could lead to unimaginable consequences!

In Lu Qiguang’s view, Zhou Heng’s decision to risk such a suicidal breakthrough meant certain death, but to his shock, after over a hundred moves, Zhou Heng was still firmly holding his ground without stepping back!

He didn’t go berserk?

How is that possible!

Breaking through a major realm requires complete focus, with even a moment’s distraction leading to disaster. Currently, Zhou Heng was facing a desperate situation with nowhere to turn, so how could he remain so composed?

Too terrifying!

"No, impossible!" His eyes suddenly bulged as he was so astonished that he stopped his attacking motion.

The roaring inside Zhou Heng’s body grew louder and clearer, a sure sign that Open Heaven Land Cleaving was smoothly operating within him, and at this pace, the breakthrough would be completed in no time!

Damn it, how could this be possible!

Having broken through to the Heaven-Opening Realm himself, Lu Qiguang knew all too well how difficult it was. After reaching the peak of the Land Cleaving Realm, he had despondently cultivated for 184 years, accumulating enough patience and understanding, before he secluded himself for another ten years to formally assault the Heaven-Opening Realm.

And that process took him five more months!

During those five months, he could only attempt to expand the universe within him every few days, producing such roaring sounds. The lack of understanding meant he had to advance bit by bit.

Yet the roaring inside Zhou Heng’s body was continuous, like the popping of frying beans!

This meant Zhou Heng faced no difficulties in comprehension, charging forward, unstoppable like a bamboo slicing through everything!

At this rate, this young man could very well break through to the Heaven-Opening Realm in half a day, or perhaps even less time!

Monster, monster!

Lu Qiguang’s face turned aghast; even the clan’s top genius, Lu Zhipeng, couldn’t compare to such a demonic talent. Back when Lu Zhipeng broke through to the Heaven-Opening Realm at the age of fifty-seven, he was hailed as Xinlan Country’s greatest genius in a thousand years!

Even so, Lu Zhipeng’s breakthrough took a whole five days, which seemed pathetic compared to the monster before him.

Lu Qiguang’s expression turned stern; the more of a demonic genius Zhou Heng appeared to be, the more resolute his killing intent grew. Otherwise, with just Zhou Heng’s terrifying speed of movement, he could become a nightmare for the Lu Family.

Kill, kill this young man!

Lu Qiguang let out an angry bellow, abruptly swinging his left palm towards his own chest and pounding it hard. Immediately, he spat out a mouthful of fresh blood. This act of self-harm could greatly enhance one’s strength for a short time, at the cost of regressing one’s Cultivation Level by one or two months afterward, not to mention a certain loss of lifespan.

If Zhou Heng’s potential weren’t so terrifying, with him on the verge of breaking through to the Heaven-Opening Realm in mere moments, Lu Qiguang wouldn’t have pushed himself to these lengths!

After all, in his lifetime, he had practically no hope of breaking through to the Mountains and Rivers Realm. Who would want to cut their life short, as every day counts?

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Lu Qiguang’s cultivation level temporarily rose to the Second Layer Heaven of Open Heaven. Utilizing an Upper Grade Earth Level Martial Arts Technique, Cyclone Technique, his battle power was comparable to someone in the Third Layer Heaven of Open Heaven, instantly putting immense pressure on Zhou Heng.

"Kid, go to hell! Die! Die!" he roared, uncharacteristically losing his composure.

Honestly, who wouldn’t lose their mind facing such devilish talent?

Zhou Heng remained unmoved and unfazed, with blood flowers continuously blooming on his body. Even though the Nine Nether Ice Heaven Jue and the Eight-Colored Lotus mitigated more than half of the attack’s power, the residual force still dealt him a huge blow.

Had his bones not been enhanced by the abilities of the Gold Devouring Clan, his entire body might have been shattered into pieces!

Even so, he kept bleeding, his flesh and skin constantly ripped apart, turning into a bloody figure.

Fortunately, at his level, the bones were already much like living creatures, crawling back upon themselves like armor protecting his flesh. His golden bones shone brightly, looking like a mere skeleton, yet they exuded an imposing and regal aura.

"What kind of cultivation technique is this, that it can refine one’s bones to such an extent!" Lu Qiguang exclaimed in shock. This young man revealed one miracle after another. There were many techniques for tempering the body in the world, but he had never heard of one that could reach this level!

Of course, Zhou Heng wouldn’t answer him; he was still in the midst of cleaving his Inner World, with the Dantian Space expanding rapidly.

"Zhou Heng!" Xiao Huoshui and Orchid Concubine screamed in anxiety.

Xiao Huoshui’s concern was purely genuine, while Orchid Concubine had her own motives. She had laid all her hopes on Zhou Heng, and if he fell, her life would be over! For a person who craved power, that was absolutely unthinkable.

Lu Chenfu was also filled with shock, never expecting Zhou Heng to go this far for their family!

She believed that if Zhou Heng wanted to escape, he could even take Xiao Huoshui or Orchid Concubine with him, but instead, he chose not to do so, standing by them, ready to share their fate!

She couldn’t help but be deeply moved, tossing any displeasure she had felt towards Zhou Heng to the back of her mind. She saw him as a man of deep feelings and steadfast word, a true gentleman among men!

—Would she spit out blood if she knew Zhou Heng’s true intentions?

"Die at this old man’s hands!" Lu Qiguang, with killing intent shooting up to the sky, grew stronger without signs of fatigue under the secret technique, reaching a peak before abruptly plummeting.

The Magic Artifact ferociously slashed, ruthlessly striking Zhou Heng’s skeletal frame.

Even though Zhou Heng’s bones had been tempered by swallowing countless high-grade metals, they were only comparable to a Land Cleaving Realm Magic Artifact at the moment, with only his right hand reaching the level of a Heaven-Opening Realm Magic Artifact. Suffering hits from a Heaven-Opening Realm Magic Artifact, cracks quickly spread across his bones like a spider’s web.

When the bones shattered, the flesh and viscera wrapped inside naturally lost their protection, and at that time Zhou Heng would be on a path of certain death!

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Sounds like the tolling of a great bell resounded from within Zhou Heng, akin to a profound chant of the great way, thought-provoking, causing Xiao Huoshui and the other four to feel as if their acupoints had been flung open, suddenly comprehending something, with their spiritual power rotating within.

"Damn!" Lu Qiguang bellowed, knowing that Zhou Heng was on the verge of completing Heaven Opening, officially ascending to a level where they would stand as equals!

This was something he absolutely would not allow to happen!

Just three more strikes, and he would be able to shatter Zhou Heng’s skeletal frame. Time! What he needed most was time!

Bang!

Zhou Heng’s ribcage took another heavy hit, the cracks now glaringly evident, barely held together by a thread of spiritual power from completely breaking apart.

Bang!

Another strike, and the bones in his chest were nearing collapse.

Just one last strike to go!

Lu Guangkai laughed heartily, his magic artifact wrapped in enormous spiritual power, slashing towards Zhou Heng!

Under this strike, not only would Zhou Heng’s skeleton completely shatter, but his entire body would be cleaved in two, and with the invasion of exotic spiritual power, it would be impossible to rejoin the severed parts.

With a swish, his sword swept past, reflecting a ferocious face full of killing intent in the cold light of its blade.

Clang!

A large hand swept through, firmly grasping the blade’s edge, steady as a mountain.

Zhou Heng’s eyes were cold and merciless, yet no longer numb as before, now filled with an enlivened brilliance.

With him at the center, nature’s spiritual energy surged crazily towards him, cleansing his body. Every second after, his breath grew mightier, the rate of his strength increase so swift as to be unfathomable!

He had broken through!

Nature’s spiritual energy was cleansing his body, stabilizing his realm!

Open Heaven First Layer Heaven!

Hiss!

Lu Qiguang’s tongue all but spilled out as he witnessed a great miracle of history; a martial artist had, in just half an hour, leaped from the Land Cleaving Realm to the Heaven-Opening Realm!

Unfortunately, he was the antagonist, standing on the opposite side of that miracle!

While Zhou Heng had just broken through, his power not yet truly lifted to the level of Open Heaven, to kill him!

This was his only chance!

Lu Qiguang stretched out his hand to shake off the magic artifact from Zhou Heng’s firm hold, but immediately he was horrified to discover that his opponent’s strength was greater than his own!

How could this be!

Zhou Heng had just broken through and was absorbing spiritual energy, crazily enhancing his strength to meet the proper standard of the Open Heaven Realm. His power could not truly reach the level of the Open Heaven Realm until this process concluded!

Little did he know, Zhou Heng originally possessed a Dantian Space eighty times larger than a normal Land Cleaving Realm martial artist, his strength not much inferior to that of the Open Heaven First Layer Heaven. Once he had broken through, the congregation of nature’s spiritual energy immediately endowed him with the strength of the Open Heaven Realm level.

With each passing second, Zhou Heng’s strength increased a bit more, widening the gap between their powers ever further.

Monster!

Lu Qiguang didn’t know how many times he had issued such an exclamation, but the situation now was that he genuinely couldn’t kill Zhou Heng, not even a sliver of a chance remained! Moreover, if he stayed any longer, he would instead be killed by Zhou Heng!

— He had used a secret technique, and soon his strength would plummet to the peak of the Land Cleaving Third Layer Heaven. With this increase and decrease, his death was certain.

Retreat!

To report this youngster’s information back to the family and let the experts of the Mountains and Rivers Realm deal with him!

Lu Qiguang was indeed decisive. Since he couldn’t retrieve the magic artifact, he might as well abandon it. At once, he loosened his grip and reversed his body to flee.

"Did I say you could go?" Zhou Heng sneered coldly, moving swiftly to catch Lu Qiguang’s ankle which had just lifted off, pulling hard, Bang, Lu Qiguang was suddenly swung by him and smashed into the ground, forming a deep pit upon impact.

Having just broken through, he could not control his own aura. The momentum of the Open Heaven Realm roared wildly, forcing Xiao Huoshui and the other four to continuously step back, their faces pale and limbs weakening.

"Kid!" Lu Qiguang gritted his teeth, climbing out of the pit, his face fierce but his eyes betraying immense fear.

"Just now, you enjoyed that beating, didn’t you?" Zhou Heng commented indifferently. Running his Azure Dragon bloodline, a flow of clean water enveloped his body, quickly healing him. Bones returned to their places, and flesh reformed, as if reborn.

Lu Qiguang glanced at Zhou Heng, then turned to escape once more without a word.

"Stubborn fool!" Zhou Heng’s figure ghostly, he caught up in one step, again seizing Lu Qiguang’s ankle, and threw him towards a large boulder.

Bang!

The rock shattered into pieces, yet Lu Qiguang remained unharmed, his physique of the Open Heaven Realm countless times tougher than the stone.

"Your bones are pretty tough!" Zhou Heng said with a slight smile, which only sent chills down Lu Qiguang’s spine, a complete sense of dread enveloping him. (To be continued. If you enjoy this work, you are welcome to vote for it at qidian.com. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please go to m.qidian.com to read.)