Shocking the Nine Heavens With My Sword
Chapter 281 - 269 Yin Nether Grass (3/3)

Chapter 281: Chapter 269 Yin Nether Grass (3/3)

Zhou Heng and his two female companions walked through the gloomy forest. Ying Mengfan had no idea of the dangers that lurked, only that she felt secure clinging onto Zhou Heng, while Feng Lianqing, the foodie, seemed carefree and oblivious.

Helpless, Zhou Heng had no choice but to stay alert. He couldn’t rely on either of the two women by his side.

In the Death Forest, danger lurked at every step. A poisonous insect could be hiding under a fallen leaf, ready to spray venom potent enough to corrode even a Nascent Soul Realm expert, mandating extreme caution with every step taken.

Yet amidst peril lay the promise of rewards. From the extreme yin spawned yang, and thus the Nine Suns Vitality Grass, capable of extending one’s life by a millennium, was born here. Besides that, there were other spirit grasses of slightly lower grades, not as wondrous as the Nine Suns Vitality Grass, but precious all the same.

It was such finds that attracted Spirit Sea Realm experts to come here to gather herbs, eventually leading to the discovery of the Nine Suns Vitality Grass.

It was unknown how many powers would enter this place. A thousand years of life, even a Divine Infant Realm Old Ancestor would be tempted, for with it one could ensure a millennium of prosperity for their family and sect!

Some powers were in decline, the older generation withering away and the new generation lacking someone to carry the mantle. For them, the Nine Suns Vitality Grass could mend that gap.

After seven days of travel, Zhou Heng’s group had not encountered a single spirit grass. Although they weren’t searching deliberately, such terrible luck left Zhou Heng and Feng Lianqing quite dissatisfied.

"It’s all your fault, with that unlucky star looming over you. Any spirit grass would hide itself the moment it sees you!" Feng Lianqing blamed Zhou Heng’s appearance for their misfortune.

"You brat, believe it or not, I’ll shut your mouth for you?" Zhou Heng threatened.

Feng Lianqing pouted but dared not speak again. Being silenced was akin to a death sentence for her! Out of spite, she entered the Nine Mystic Trial Tower with Grey, surely to gripe about Zhou Heng to Xiao Huoshui and her companions.

Zhou Heng let out a slight smile. He was very much in control in the presence of his women. None of them, except for his mother, dared to give him any attitude.

"Zhou Heng, hold me tight!" Ying Mengfan pressed closer to him. "It’s a bit cold!"

Zhou Heng wrapped his arms around her slender willowy waist, barely restraining himself from sliding his hand down to her plump, perky buttocks. But a chilling, sinister coldness snapped him back to high alert, banishing the lustful thoughts for her Mysterious Yin Physique.

Swish swish swish—the sound of movement in the underbrush. Something was approaching!

Zhou Heng’s right hand clenched into a fist, his eyes sharp as blades. This Death Forest wasn’t all dead terrain; there were said to be incredible creatures like Stone Men and Tree People—beings beyond imagination.

The underbrush parted, and two men sprang out, their aura indicating they were of the Heaven-Opening Realm.

The Heaven-Opening Realm?

At any other time, few in the Mountains and Rivers Realm would dare to enter here, but now even those from the Heaven-Opening Realm appeared, a testament to the allure of the Nine Suns Vitality Grass.

"Hmm?" The two men also noticed Zhou Heng and Ying Mengfan. Because of the Stealth Talisman, they naturally couldn’t sense Zhou Heng’s strength and focused their gaze on Ying Mengfan.

Such a transcendent beauty!

A lustful obsession appeared on their faces, and their mouths opened, letting saliva drip out.

One reaching the Heaven-Opening Realm should have unwavering will, immune to threats and temptations, steadfast in his core, unmoved. Only the stunning beauty of Ying Mengfan could cause a lapse, causing them to lose their composure!

"Humph!" Zhou Heng lightly snorted, an awakening call as profound as a bell tolling at dusk.

The two men instantly sobered, exchanging glances before bowing to Ying Mengfan, saying, "We were unaware of the Senior’s presence here, please forgive our rudeness!"

Ying Mengfan looked puzzled, clinging even tighter to Zhou Heng.

Finally, the two men turned towards Zhou Heng, but he seemed just an average-looking youth to them, lacking any remarkable features. With a powerful Mountains and Rivers Realm expert in front of them, they didn’t dare act rashly, saying, "Juniors will take our leave now!"

They carefully retreated, eyes still on Ying Mengfan, stepping backward until the tall grass obscured them; only then did they quickly take to the sky, soon vanishing from sight.

Zhou Heng didn’t pay them any mind. He felt that ominous energy and quickly found a dark green stone, cold and biting to the touch as he pressed his hand against it.

Why is it so cold?

He flipped the stone over, and with a boom, a terrible yin energy surged out. The black mist took the shape of a ferocious, clawing monster, lunging viciously toward him.

Zhou Heng snorted lightly. As he activated his Domain Path, with a boom, Purple Flame blazed, enveloping the gaseous monster.

Squeak—

As the flames seared it, the monster formed from the yin energy let out a piercing shriek, constantly changing shape as if it was caught in a ghostly howl or a wolf’s wail. This wasn’t an actual sound, but a fluctuation of Divine Sense, enough to scare the less resolute wetting themselves in terror.

Ying Mengfan turned pale, hugging Zhou Heng’s waist, her face buried in his chest, shaking uncontrollably.

Zhou Heng snorted again, the Purple Flame burning even brighter. Boom—the mass of yin energy was ultimately incinerated completely.

This Purple Flame had absorbed Earth Fire and was a force of positive energy from the natural world, exceedingly effective against dark entities with its supreme restraining power.

"It’s okay, it’s all over now!" Zhou Heng soothed, stroking Ying Mengfan’s hair softly.

"Mm!" Ying Mengfan was still huddled in his embrace, but now she dared to look up. After the yin energy monster was destroyed, that spine-chilling sensation dissipated instantly, bolstering her courage.

Zhou Heng glanced intently and saw that beneath the stone was a corpse, now reduced to a few blackened bones. Not even a Spirit Sea Realm corpse could be preserved in this place; the harsh environment would corrode it away to nothing.

I wonder what cultivation level this person had in life!

Among the few remaining withered bones grew a strange half-inch tall plant, completely black with seven leaves on a primary stem, thin as cicada wings. Upon closer inspection, each leaf actually bore a skull pattern!

Could this be considered a Spirit Grass?

If nothing else, it was undoubtedly the corpse of that powerful character that nurtured this Spirit Grass. However, the thought of a Spirit Grass growing from a dead body always seemed to send a chill down one’s spine.

Unclean, disadvantageous, sinister and eerie.

Rustle rustle rustle!

The sound of swaying vegetation rose once again, and Zhou Heng frowned, looking back.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

Seven people emerged from behind the bushes, two of whom were the men who had appeared earlier. The other five were also male, one of whom was quite young and handsome. The remaining four were all old men in their sixties, dressed in purple, green, white, and black robes, each exuding an extremely powerful aura.

"There really is Yin Nether Grass!"

"It’s you!"

Several voices rose simultaneously.

The four old men fixed their eight eyes on the black Spirit Grass amongst the bones, while the young man glared at Zhou Heng, the fury in his eyes almost aflame.

Yin Nether Grass? Even the name sounds ominous!

Zhou Heng’s gaze shifted to the young man. Although he hadn’t seen that face many times, with the superior memory that came with being a high-tier martial artist, he immediately recalled a name.

Yan Yinglong!

It was he who had drugged An Yumei in Tianhang City, hoping to take advantage of her. After Zhou Heng had rescued An Yumei using the Nine Mystic Trial Tower, Yan Yinglong, fearing An Luochen’s wrath, had fled Tianhang City early. And unexpectedly, Zhou Heng encountered him here again!

Zhou Heng was no hero bent on vanquishing evil, but Yan Yinglong’s attempt to harm his woman made it his business!

"Damned scoundrel!" Yan Yinglong roared in anger. He absolutely loathed Zhou Heng to the marrow!

If it weren’t for him, Yan could have already become the son-in-law of a Heaven-Opening Realm expert! Would he have had to slink away from home, seething with anger and cooped up in some backwater until recently when he chanced upon a benefactor?

He hated him!

"You two can get lost!" the purple-robed old man shouted at Zhou Heng and Ying Mengfan.

It wasn’t that they didn’t want to kill witnesses or that they were virtuous and unmoved by Ying Mengfan’s beauty. It was simply because they were all at the Mountains and Rivers Realm. While four against one guaranteed victory, it was impossible for them to kill or even capture Ying Mengfan when everyone was at the same Great Realm.

Better to keep things easy for everyone.

Besides, Yin Nether Grass was only useful to warriors of the Poisonous Blood Sect who practised sinister cultivation techniques; it was useless to anyone else.

"Old Ancestor, please allow Yan Yinglong to deal with that man himself, as they share a deep hatred," Yan Yinglong immediately spoke up. For the past two years, he’d lurked in remote corners until recently when Poisonous Blood Sect took him in. Because of this, he wasn’t aware of Zhou Heng’s current reputation.

In his eyes, Zhou Heng was still just the Minor Warrior who had just entered the Gathering Spirit Realm and would easily be defeated!

The green-robed old man nodded and then said to Ying Mengfan, "Leave the boy behind!"

Ying Mengfan, frightened, merely clung to Zhou Heng.

This scene appeared very odd to the seven onlookers; clearly, a Mountains and Rivers Realm expert, acting like a child. Was this really the time for acting cute?

Zhou Heng’s eyes turned fierce, showing a trace of killing intent, and said, "You all should stay put, so you won’t be lonely on the Yellow Springs Road!"

"Haha, what audacity!" The black-robed old man laughed in anger. The dignity of an expert could not be trifled with, and he immediately reached out a hand toward Zhou Heng, turning it into a black giant hand that carried a faint, unpleasant smell.

This cultivation technique, it seemed familiar!

Zhou Heng casually flicked it away. Although they were both at the Mountains and Rivers Realm, the gap between their spiritual powers was immense. The black-robed old man was sent reeling, his face turning deathly pale as he vomited a mouthful of blood and stumbled dozens of steps backward.

Hiss!

Witnessing this, the remaining six were visibly shocked.

Especially Yan Yinglong, who recognised Zhou Heng. Wasn’t he supposedly only at the Spirit Gathering Realm? How could a mere wave of his hand repel an Old Ancestor? It made no sense; it was simply impossible!

For a moment, he felt utterly confused.

"You’re from the Poisonous Blood Sect, right?" Zhou Heng suddenly recalled, the technique of the old man was from the same origin as Shangguan Qi and Zuo Hongchen whom he had encountered earlier in the Beast Fighting Arena of Tianhang City. As he thought of these two, his rage surged within him. (To be continued. If you like this work, welcome to Qidian (qidian.com) to vote for recommendation tickets and monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please go to m.qidian.com to read.)