Shocking the Nine Heavens With My Sword
Chapter 203 - 196: Return to the Imperial Capital (2/5)

Chapter 203: Chapter 196: Return to the Imperial Capital (2/5)

"You’ve just broken through and need to stabilize your realm, forcefully striking out will cause your cultivation level to regress!" Lu Qiguang yelled; under different circumstances, he naturally wouldn’t remind Zhou Heng, rather wishing he would be consumed by his own frenzy and die.

But now, this had become his only lifeline; if Zhou Heng didn’t let go, he couldn’t escape disaster!

Zhou Heng laughed heartily, saying, "Thank you for your kindness, but there’s no need for you to trouble yourself!"

Bang!

He threw a punch and Lu Qiguang’s chest immediately caved in, his mouth violently spewing a stream of fresh blood mixed with bits of flesh, his internal organs completely pulverized.

"Kill this old bastard!" Xiao Huoshui clapped and yelled from the side.

She had nearly died of anxiety just moments ago, and now that the roles of strength and weakness were reversed, she finally breathed a sigh of relief. That old man had dared to drive her to nearly die of anxiety; naturally, his crime was unforgivable!

Lu Qiguang was furious; he had never been scolded like this by a junior at the Initial Separation Realm, but now, since the situation was more powerful than the man, how could he not feel aggrieved and resistant? Previously, he had the strongest power and could suppress Zhou Heng in a fight, but what could he do now?

"Boy, I admit defeat, but don’t think you can act with impunity. My Lu family has an old ancestor in the Mountains and Rivers Realm and a peerless genius, Lu Zhipeng, who broke through to the Open Heaven Realm twenty years ago and is now under the tutelage of a great sect in Bright Moon Country. Within ten years, he will surely break through the Mountains and Rivers Realm!"

"Compared to the genius of my Lu family, you’re not even worthy to carry his shoes!"

Lu Qiguang could only boast a little; he forcefully circulated his Spiritual Power, unwilling to sit still and wait for death.

Bang!

With another punch from Zhou Heng, Lu Qiguang was completely suppressed. In the face of absolute power, he had no strength to resist.

"Hahaha, you won’t be at ease for long!" Lu Qiguang stubbornly retorted, knowing he couldn’t escape death; he wanted to make things unpleasant for Zhou Heng.

Zhou Heng closed his eyes, the flushing from nature’s spiritual energy was nearing its end, his power had increased two hundredfold compared to before!

Typically, breaking through to the Open Heaven Realm could expand the Dantian space a hundredfold, but Zhou Heng had doubled that! Originally possessing eighty times the Dantian Space of the typical Land Cleaving Realm, his power was now one hundred sixty times that of a regular Open Heaven First Layer Heaven!

Absolute suppression!

However, the difficulty of accumulating his power was also one hundred sixty times harder than for those in the usual Open Heaven Realm. It would take an ordinary person fifty years to reach from the initial period of the First Layer Heaven to its peak, but Zhou Heng needed eight thousand years!

If he truly relied on gradual cultivation, even the lifespan of the Divinity Transformation Realm wouldn’t be enough!

Luckily, he had the Black Sword!

There were also spirit stones, spirit pills, and such things available that could speed up the accumulation of cultivation levels.

The Purple Flame Bloodline and Metallic Bloodline had both risen to the Heavenly Spirit Body, and the Azure Dragon’s Power had definitely reached the Ten Stars Heavenly Spirit Body, yet Zhou Heng didn’t see any signs that the Bloodline Power had reached its limit, suggesting the Ten Stars Heavenly Spirit Body wasn’t the end!

This was strange, but Zhou Heng didn’t bother to ponder it; he knew he couldn’t figure out an answer.

He wielded the Black Sword, resolving to make Lu Qiguang the first sacrifice to his entry into the Open Heaven Realm!

"Zhou Heng, I’ll wait for you underground! Hahaha, hahahaha!" Lu Qiguang laughed wildly.

"You’ll only be waiting for your Lu family members!" Zhou Heng said coldly; he hadn’t agreed to Lu Chenfu’s request to wipe out the main Lu family, but if they unthinkingly sent people for revenge, he wouldn’t mind making the trip.

Splat!

The Black Sword was thrust out, Lu Qiguang’s mad laughter stopped abruptly, his eyes quickly dulled, his body slid to the ground, lifeless.

Zhou Heng turned around, his aura of the Open Heaven Realm wildly swirling like a tide, making everyone feel an oppressive suffocation.

"Let’s continue on our way!" Zhou Heng ordered, and returned to the carriage with Xiao Huoshui and Orchid Concubine.

Lu Chenfu’s family of three and the four coachmen finally came to their senses, hurriedly taking their positions, doing what they should.

However, though they were shocked by Zhou Heng’s breakthrough, they didn’t react too intensely because Zhou Heng had originally been at the Land Cleaving Realm, an existence they had to look up to. So, not to mention Zhou Heng’s breakthrough to the Open Heaven Realm, even if he ascended to the Divinity Transformation Realm wouldn’t shock them too much, for he was always high above.

Xiao Huoshui and Orchid Concubine reacted much more intensely; they clearly understood what the Open Heaven Realm meant!

Returning to Cold Blue Country, Zhou Heng would be one of the six supreme experts of the Open Heaven Realm! Moreover, with his extraordinary battle power, he would undoubtedly be the number one expert, and even if the other five joined forces they could not match him!

Unrivaled, peerless!

What woman wouldn’t want her man to be the strongest? Zhou Heng had achieved this in just two short years! Of course, the Open Heaven Realm might not count for much in the entire Xuanqian Continent, but in the region of Cold Blue Country, it was sufficient to dominate!

Moreover, Zhou Heng had just started, and his future achievements would surely not be limited to the Open Heaven Realm!

In their excitement, the two women naturally entangled with Zhou Heng in every way, unwilling to stop even though their bodies were exhausted to death; only through passionate, dying embraces could they release the fire within.

Zhou Heng entered the Nine Mystic Trial Tower, now at the Open Heaven Realm, he could naturally challenge the fourth trial.

The Array Spirit that materialized had just formed when Zhou Heng charged over, unleashing a flurry of strikes with the Eight-Colored Lotus and the Nine Nether Ice Heaven Jue, instantly slaying it!

With a snap, a jade token fell from mid-air.

Hmm?

Zhou Heng furrowed his brows; previously, after defeating an opponent in the Land Cleaving Realm, he had acquired a bottle of essence blood from the Gold Devouring Clan, which had proved enormously helpful to him! Thus, he was quite eager to see what reward he would receive this time, but what use could this jade token have?

He picked it up, and immediately, a piece of information entered his mind.

Stealth Talisman, capable of concealing one’s aura as if one were a commoner, indistinguishable even to experts of the Divinity Transformation Realm.

What’s the use of this?

Zhou Heng casually tossed the jade token. He already owned the Nine Mystic Trial Tower, which could best conceal his presence, and since the Stealth Talisman was not an invisibility talisman, its utility was quite limited.

Among the four rewards he had received so far, this jade token was of the least value.

However, it would make disguising himself much easier in the future; just by altering his appearance, nobody would recognize him!

It always has some use, I guess.

A month later, Zhou Heng and his party finally returned to the Cold Blue Country, making their way to Shengyuan City.

The threat from the Lu Family could be set aside for now, as they would certainly not be able to kill their way over in the short term. In fact, the safest course would be to eliminate those four coachmen, as that way even such a powerful family as the Lu Family might take months, or even years, to find any clues!

Xiao Huoshui and Orchid Concubine, both devoid of moral compass, were ready to kill those four coachmen just to benefit themselves — what were a thousand or ten thousand innocent lives to them? But Zhou Heng stopped them, letting the four men go free.

With an invincible heart, what was the Lu Family to him, even if Old Ancestors from the Mountains and Rivers Realm were to arrive, he would have no fear!

Engaging in devious plots and schemes could never lead one to the peak of the Martial Path; if all thoughts are on that which distracts, what remarkable achievements can be had on the path of martial arts?

Lu Chenfu’s family of three stayed close to Zhou Heng, having started from scratch before to amass great wealth; they knew full well how difficult the initial stages could be. Backed by a Heaven-Opening Realm expert, countless problems would undoubtedly be solved.

They decided to establish themselves in Shengyuan City, using Zhou Heng’s name to expand, combining Lu Chenfu’s business acumen with the considerable fortune they carried, they could definitely work miracles again in a short period.

Orchid Concubine entered the Nine Mystic Trial Tower. Although Zhou Heng could already crush any expert in Cold Blue Country, taking someone’s wife was not an ideal thing to do, and after all, what rights could a female slave claim?

Although the three found Orchid Concubine’s sudden disappearance strange, who would dare to question Zhou Heng about it? The group of five roamed the streets and alleys of the Imperial Capital, naturally seeking a guesthouse to stay in first.

The Imperial Capital had grown even more bustling in past months, with two newly emerged mysterious realms vying with the Four Great Death Places, drawing throngs of Martial Artists eager for adventure, especially the bustling Wind Howl Forest, where anyone could try their luck.

On the other hand, only spectators gathered at the mine’s underground world, as no one dared to enter it, far too dangerous. It was said that even big shots from the Heavenly Dragon Imperial Dynasty ventured there quietly, but the outcomes were unknown.

Zhou Heng made no attempt to hide his tracks; his entry into the Imperial Capital immediately set off a stir.

"Latest news, Zhou Heng has returned to the Imperial Capital!"

"What, he dares to come back? The Ying Family and Yue Family have already sent experts to trouble him, and yet he walks right into the trap?"

"Miss Mei from the Mei Family has already returned to Bright Moon Country and didn’t leave any experts behind; it seems she doesn’t regard Zhou Heng too highly!"

"Haha, that kid’s going to have it rough!"

"Who told him to love the spotlight so much, stealing a bride in public and completely disregarding the Ying Family! Even if Ying Bingfeng’s death had nothing to do with him, the Ying Family definitely won’t let him off the hook!"

"Right, that kid actually dared to take the number one beauty of the Imperial Capital as a slave, he’s definitely attracting envy!"

With no secrets in the Imperial Capital, just after Zhou Heng had settled down in the guesthouse, he received an invitation from the Royal Family, inviting him to a banquet at the Imperial Palace. As the only individual who had earned honors for the Cold Blue Country in the battle over the Spirit Stone Mine, it would indeed be improper for the Royal Family not to celebrate his achievements.

A banquet is never just a banquet!

Zhou Heng vividly remembered the sinister looks from Liu Qingxuan and Nangong Changkong after the Spirit Stone Mine battle; had the threat from the Mao Family not been so immense, those two would certainly have tried to make a move on him!

This time, they probably intend to slaughter him at the palace!

After all, they both knew Zhou Heng’s movement technique was incredibly fast, and to kill him would require setting up the Ultimate Killing Array to eliminate any chance of escape! Moreover, Zhou Heng also possessed a Void Shattering Talisman that would limit his ability to flee, so they would definitely make thorough preparations before rashly making their move.

Having been outwitted so many times, they’d be fools not to have learned their lesson.

Zhou Heng couldn’t help but laugh, wondering how Nangong Changkong and his cohorts kept thinking of killing him, without considering whether they even could.

In fact, they could hardly be blamed; who could have expected that in just over three months, Zhou Heng would have already stepped into the Heaven-Opening Realm?

This face is set in stone! (To be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome to vote for it at qidian.com, your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users please visit m.qidian.com to read.)