I Cheated While Cultivating

Zhou Heng sneered coldly, circulated his Inner Qi, and was about to unleash his Martial Arts to smash these bizarre skeletons to pieces.

“Star Envoy, be careful!” Wu Zongshan was a step faster.

After all, as a Sixth Rank Innate, every move he made could harness the natural mighty forces, and with a gesture through the air, he gathered the energy of heaven and earth to form streaks of Sword Qi.

Like a sudden gust of wind and a torrential downpour, it descended upon those skeletons.

Such an attack was enough for any martial artist at the Peak of the Seventh Rank to retreat by a wide margin. The gap between human strength and the majesty of heaven was simply too vast. Even though this was just a casual strike from a Sixth Rank Innate, it was enough to surpass the Seventh Rank on the Martial Path.

It could be called immensely powerful.

Yet, these skeletons, clearly hit by the Sword Qi, remained unharmed. The Sword Qi passed right through their bodies and struck the ground.

It pierced the floor of this pork shop, creating one hole after another.

Immediately, ghastly blue flames began to emerge from these holes, burning ominously, and lighting up the entire meat shop with a ghostly glow, making it resemble a gloomy and terrifying prison of spirits.

This caused the evil aura on the skeletons to surge dramatically, becoming even stronger than before. Wu Zongshan’s attack not only failed to have any effect but also made these evil-infested skeletons stronger.

“Prefectural Lord, please step back.” Zhou Heng stepped forward, his Inner Qi circulating.

He propelled his Xiao Wuxiang Skill with Innate Pure Yang Inner Qi. At the same time, he slightly bent his left leg, rounded his right arm inward, drew a half-circle with his left palm, and suddenly, a golden light flared up on his right palm, and at that moment, he pushed out his right palm flatly forward!

Roar!

As Zhou Heng released his palm strike, a dragon’s roar could be heard. A Golden Dragon Mirage flew out from his palm, its claws and teeth bared as it charged towards the skeletons.

The utterly rigid and Yang, fierce and powerful palm force turned into a Golden Dragon Mirage that swept across, as if warmed by sunlight, instantly dispelling the sinister and evil Qi that filled the meat shop.

This formidable palm force, like the autumn breeze sweeping away fallen leaves, nearly swept the skeletons into dust, and even the eerie blue flames emerging from the holes were swept away by the Golden Dragon Mirage, all subsiding.

Dragon Regret!

Eighteen Dragon Subduing Palms!

This was a Martial Art at the Peak of the Seventh Rank, extremely fierce and powerful. At its pinnacle, a single strike could release eighteen Golden Dragon energies simultaneously, changing the color of the sky and earth, battling hundreds with one![Note]

Wu Zongshan watched this scene, dumbfounded.

He could hardly believe that this attack was executed by an Eighth Rank martial artist.

A normal Eighth Rank martial artist, although capable of releasing Inner Qi outward, typically has limited lethality, unable to cause much damage. The Golden Dragon energy released by this Star Envoy just now could potentially force even those at the Peak of the Seventh Rank to avoid it.

Too strong!

This was simply not the strength a normal Eighth Rank martial artist could possess!

Could it be that the legacy of the Zhou Tian Boundary Officer is so formidable?

And it wasn’t only that palm which was formidable, but also the Inner Strength that powered it. To allow an Eighth Rank martial artist to deliver such a powerful attack, profound Inner Strength is indispensable.

To the majority of martial artists, this would be considered an invaluable “Divine Skill”.

As for why the attack of this Eighth Rank “Star Envoy” was effective against these evil-infested skeletons, while his own Sixth Rank Martial Path attacks were ineffective, Wu Zongshan felt no surprise at all.

People from Zhou Tian Boundary Officer have the capability to restrain ghosts and Evil Creatures; this was a very normal thing.

If even the Star Envoys were unable to inflict damage on things related to evil spirits, that would be the real crisis.

“I wonder, between this Star Envoy and Zhou Heng, both of the Eighth Rank, who is stronger?”

Wu Zongshan was somewhat curious, his mind echoing with the earlier display of that extremely strong Golden Dragon energy. He felt, for the most part, that this Star Envoy was probably stronger.

“Prefect, this place still isn’t where the evil creatures have made their final lair,” Zhou Heng approached with a frown, saying, “However, the evil aura here is extremely dense, even permeating the ground, and it has contaminated some skeletons.”

“That evil entity must have lingered here for quite some time,” he continued after careful inspection in the abandoned pork shop, “but I’ve just checked and there’s no trace of the evil aura left.”

“You mean to say…” Wu Zongshan felt a stir in his heart and said, “The evil entity used to reside in this pork shop, but it moved away later?”

“Exactly.” Zhou Heng inquired, “Prefect, I noticed there’s a sizeable pigsty in the backyard of the pork shop. Were the pigs still alive when the incident occurred?”

After an evil entity matures, it sheds its original form as a venomous insect and can transform into other animals within a certain size range to conceal its true identity.

The possibility of it masquerading as a pig was not out of the question.

“Indeed, there were three pigs that were alive at the time,” Wu Zongshan recalled, “Later, these three pigs were confiscated by the prefectural city’s authorities, but nothing unusual was found.”

“Trouble you to take me to have a look,” requested Zhou Heng.

“Very well,” Wu Zongshan gave a slight nod.

Afterward, they left the pork shop and headed for the prefectural city’s government office.

As Zhou Heng passed the empty pork stall at the entrance, he caught sight of a small knife on the ground out of the corner of his eye.

He recognized the knife.

It was specially commissioned by the pork shop’s butcher to be given as a birthday gift to his son.

The boy was not old, but he was very fond of weapons; he cherished the small knife given by his father and carried it with him almost all the time.

It was essentially the only memento his parents had left him.

And it was just left here like this?

“By the way, Prefect, what about the child of the pork butcher couple? I remember the child was only six years old,” Zhou Heng suddenly stopped and inquired.

“He was sent to the Le Dian Fang managed by the government office to settle down, to listen to music that could nourish his spirit and stabilize his emotions, dispelling the gloom,” Wu Zongshan explained somewhat curiously, wondering, “Why does Star Envoy suddenly ask about that child?”

“Where is Le Dian Fang?” Zhou Heng asked urgently.

“It’s in an alley one li south of Tian Xiang Building in the North District,” Wu Zongshan pointed in the direction of the North District, also sensing the urgency in Zhou Heng’s tone, saying, “Star Envoy, could it be that child…”

But before he could finish, he saw the Star Envoy already sprinting toward the North District at an incredibly fast pace, vanishing in the blink of an eye; such agility was not something an Eighth Rank martial artist normally possessed.

“Even a Seventh Rank wouldn’t be that fast,” Wu Zongshan couldn’t help but be amazed. However, he was worried about the Star Envoy going alone, so he quickly used a blinding technique and flew towards Le Dian Fang.

…

Le Dian Fang was a department directly under the jurisdiction of the prefectural city’s government office, occupying a standalone compound with three sections.

Its responsibility was to study music theory and perform musical pieces. When the government office received important figures, held grand ceremonies, or organized banquets, musicians from Le Dian Fang would be called upon to perform.

On ordinary days when there were no events, some elders would come by to listen to the music to calm their minds and refine their spirits; it was indeed a tranquil place for nourishing the soul.

When Zhou Heng arrived, the main entrance of Le Dian Fang had just opened. As many of the people here were women, the attendants at the entrance were also women — two pretty young maidens.

He did not inquire whether he could enter, nor did he ask the two young maidens to announce his arrival because he knew his guise as a member of the Zhou Tian Boundary Officer would certainly be recognized by the evil creature.

Therefore, as soon as he arrived, he intended to barge right in.

But the two young maidens standing in front of the main entrance of Le Dian Fang took a step forward and blocked Zhou Heng.

Their mouths opened, not to ask questions,

but to each stick out a long tongue, one zhang in length, bristling with dense spines, violently lashing out toward Zhou Heng!