I Cheated While Cultivating

Compared to the time when Zhou Heng was barely able to execute the Five Thunder Righteous Method at the Lower Third Rank, the might of the Taoist Formulas he wielded now had increased by far too much.

The moment the Thunder Seal was formed, golden thunder flames sparked all over his body, and his figure standing in the sky could be seen almost across the entire Anhe Prefectural City. His golden radiance was bright, and the thunder intertwined, making it seem as though the Thunder God himself had descended.

At the same time, with Zhou Heng at the core, the elemental energies of heaven and earth within a hundred yards began to stir; dark clouds quickly gathered, an oppressive mass rolling in to blot out the sun, turning day into night around the Prefectural City Yamen in an instant.

Golden thunder lights condensed within the dark clouds, spreading and interweaving like wildly dancing golden snakes.

The purest and most yang Thunder Power unrestrainedly burst forth. The golden light seemed to encompass all the Five Elements of the universe, able to carry out “Heavenly Punishment”.

Boom!

The thunderous roar was enough to deafen, shaking heaven and earth.

Even before the sound of thunder exploded, a three-to-four zhang thick golden thunderbolt had already descended from the sky, striking toward Nie Jin in the backyard of the Prefectural City Yamen.

“Mr. Zhou, hold on!” Nie Yu shouted with all his might.

As he did, his True Qi spread out. The elemental energy of Green Wood was instantly stimulated, and all the trees within the garden began to grow wildly, turning into towering trees in the blink of an eye.

Trunks and vines interwove, miraculously forming an immensely large and thick protective barrier, attempting to keep the golden thunder outside.

Green Wood True Energy!

The Myriad Wood Mountain-Protecting Formation!

This was the Formation that Nie Yu had placed within his residence. Activated by his own Green Wood True Energy, it could create an extremely strong defensive barrier, designed to withstand external attacks.

Under normal circumstances, even someone in the True Gang Realm would not be able to break through it.

Boom!

The golden thunder struck the huge tree barrier and immediately exploded into a sky full of golden light, brilliantly shining and illuminating much of the sky above Anhe Prefectural City.

The tree barrier actually managed to block the thunder for a brief moment.

But it was indeed just a moment.

The thunderous force of the Five Thunder Righteous Method was unmatched, and the Pure Yang True Qi could further enhance its power, coupled with Zhou Heng’s various fundamental attribute bonuses, his strength had far surpassed that of a normal True Gang Realm.

Thus, a moment later, the golden thunderbolt shattered the barrier as easily as tearing through paper, continuing its descent.

Nie Yu’s face turned ashen, blood seeped from the corner of his mouth, but he still did not retreat. He stood in front of Nie Jin, frantically circulating his True Qi.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!

A fierce wind began to blow, and the dense energy of Green Wood stirred. All the trees and plants within four hundred yards of the Prefectural City Yamen trembled, emitting a faint glow.

Even the sky, already concealed by dark clouds and thunder light, began to shine with an emerald light, reflecting off the brilliant thunder. However, it was quickly overwhelmed by the golden thunder light.

Nevertheless, at this moment, Nie Yu had already gathered a large amount of Green Wood elemental energy. Facing the thunder about to strike him down, he threw a mighty punch, like a titan propping up the heavens.

Bang!

The golden thunder struck the green shadow of the fist, releasing a blinding light that burst forth in all directions, seen by half the residents of Anhe Prefectural City.

To ordinary people of Anhe Prefectural City, such a scene was akin to the legendary battles of Immortals, with thunderous booms, towering trees shooting up, and bursts of green light. This had completely surpassed the scope of normal Martial Arts.

To those Martial Artists who had practiced Martial Arts and had some understanding of the Martial Path, the spectacle filled them with awe and trepidation, not daring to even take a breath.

Such earth-shattering anomalies, one didn’t need to think to know that it was Martial Artists of the Middle Third Rank engaging in a fierce battle, attracting vast amounts of elemental energy from heaven and earth with every move and attack, utilizing the powers of nature.

Moreover, from the way the phenomenon was unfolding, it seemed the combatants were not just ordinary members of the Middle Third Rank, but likely among the best of the Secret Six Rank; otherwise, it wouldn’t have aroused such a grand spectacle.

At this moment, Sheng Xinrou stood dazedly watching Zhou Heng’s figure suspended in the sky, as well as the scene of him driving wind and thunder, striking giant trees, and shattering the green light.

Her heart was filled with immense joy, and she couldn’t help but murmur softly, “So powerful, really too powerful! Zhou Heng is truly strong!”

The others were also dumbstruck, watching the brilliance flickering between heaven and earth, feeling shocked and amazed.

Was this the power of the Middle Third Rank?

Let alone ordinary folk, even the strongest among those of the Lower Third Rank would likely not be able to intervene in such a battle, right?

No wonder they say that the level of the Middle Third Rank is a completely different world; the gap was simply too vast.

However, why would such a high-level battle break out at the Prefectural City Yamen?

What’s going on here?

…

…

Bang!

In the end, Nie Yu’s fist was unable to hold back the Five Thunder Righteous Method unleashed by Zhou Heng. With a loud noise, the green force of the punch was completely suppressed by the golden light.

Facing the overwhelming power of Zhou Heng, even a seasoned practitioner like Nie Yu, who had been in the True Energy Realm for many years, was rendered utterly powerless, even with the support of a Formation, there was nothing he could do.

Bang!

The lower half of Nie Yu’s body was pressed into the ground by the powerful impact, and his spirit, energy, and essence plummeted in an instant, leaving him immensely weakened.

Clearly, he was severely injured.

But this golden thunder did not attack Nie Yu, instead bending in the air to continue its strike towards Nie Jin behind him, lighting up her now somewhat twisted face with its dazzling golden light.

Facing her father, who was slammed into severe injury by thunder before her eyes, not only did she lack any sign of guilt, but a hint of mockery also appeared in her eyes, her lips curled into a cold smile.

“Idiot!” Nie Jin said disdainfully, as she lightly shifted, allowing a shadowy figure to emerge from her body and directly collide with the incoming golden thunder.

It was an avatar.

Though her Honghua Seven-Petals Body was not yet fully matured, she had already refined five avatars. Zhou Heng had destroyed two previously, and now three remained.

However, it did not take long before only two remained.

The golden thunder light exploded upon hitting Nie Jin’s apparition, with lightning and fire scattering in all directions.

Instantly, the entire Prefectural estate was engulfed in flames, and even Nie Yu himself could not escape. Already severely injured, he took another hit from the lightning fire, which further aggravated his wounds.

However, Nie Jin managed to use this opportunity to escape unscathed from all the impacts and lightning fire. She even looked up provocatively at Zhou Heng in the sky and sneered, “So what if you know Taoist Formulas?”

Before her words had faded…

Boom!

Another bolt of thunder struck, but this time it was like a peerless Divine Sword composed of purple lightning that descended from the ninth heaven, purging all evil spirits and ghostly entities!

“From the nine heavens, transform into divine thunder!

“Brilliance Heavenly Power, guided by the sword!”

In fact, as soon as the lightning of the Five Thunder Righteous Method was blocked by the giant tree barrier, Zhou Heng had already started casting another Taoist Formula.

Divine Sword Thunder Control!

Ghosts are cunning and hard to kill, a fact he had never forgotten.

The Five Thunder Righteous Method was at best an appetizer, especially since it was cast with bare hands. This Divine Sword Thunder Control was different; it was cast using the Treasure Soldier Purple Lightning Flying Sword.

Moreover, the True Qi of Pure Yang and the Power of Thunder both had extremely strong restraining effects on ghostly entities. The power had far exceeded normal standards. Ghostly entities below Sect Fifth Rank had no chance of resisting.

Indeed, faced with such an attack, Nie Jin didn’t even have the chance to defend herself and was instantly blasted into ashes and debris.

“Congratulations! You have killed the unremarkable ghost entity ‘Honghua’, Fortune Bag [Copper] +3.”

The reward notification sounded.

Clearly, the girl known as Nie Jin had died during the moment her body had been completely controlled by the ghost entity “Honghua”.

“Ah Jin!”

Nie Yu let out a cry of despair.

He had already been severely injured while defending against the Five Thunder Righteous Method, and then he took another hit from the lightning fire. Now barely hanging onto life, upon witnessing Nie Jin turning into ashes, his vision darkened as he was about to faint.

“You cannot faint just yet.” Zhou Heng said sternly, immediately casting the Resurrection Spell to forcefully awaken Nie Yu’s spirit. Descending from the sky, he spoke in a deep voice, “Lord Nie, don’t you think you owe an explanation for this matter?”

“Zhou Heng, you killed my daughter, and you still want me to explain something to you?!” Nie Yu roared in anger and grief, staring at Zhou Heng with furious eyes and gritted his teeth, “You might as well kill me too. After all, you are a successor of Pure Yang Palace, and the Imperial Court won’t hold you accountable!”

Bang!

Zhou Heng swept his sleeve and sent Nie Yu flying into a house that was ablaze with flames. The already shaky house immediately collapsed, burying Nie Yu beneath it.

However, such an impact was nothing to Nie Yu, who was already at Secret Sixth Rank and whose body had been nourished by True Qi over the years. It did not cause any further injury, only adding to his embarrassment.

“Aaaaagh!”

With a furious roar, Nie Yu burst out from the burning ruins, kicking up a blaze of sparks. Dragging his dying body and mustering all his strength to circulate his True Qi, he swung his fist towards Zhou Heng.

Just at that moment, the Purple Lightning Flying Sword in the sky split into multiple sword shadows, all of which fell around Nie Yu, sealing off all his movements.

Normally under such circumstances, Nie Yu should have been completely immobilized, with any movement bringing him closer to death.

But inexplicably, fearlessly of death, he continued to charge toward the sword shadows as if he had completely lost concern for his own life, resolved to control his destiny.

“Actually seeking death?!”

Zhou Heng let out a cold snort, raised his hand and pointed, and the sword shadows immediately dissipated, causing Nie Yu to lunge into emptiness. At the same time, he formed a hand seal and his True Qi solidified into a golden rope, tying up Nie Yu so he was unable to move.

However, after this struggle, Nie Yu, who was already at death’s door, could hardly hold on any longer. Zhou Heng then used Longevity True Energy to cast the Gentle Rain Spell, temporarily alleviating Nie Yu’s injuries.

“Why save me, why don’t you just let me die?!” Nie Yu glared at Zhou Heng with fury surging to the heavens, his eyes nearly blood-red as if his sanity had been completely obscured by hatred.

“Nie Yu, as the lord of a prefecture, don’t tell me you don’t know how your daughter actually died!” Zhou Heng slowly walked up to Nie Yu and said gravely, “Can’t you face the truth?”

As the lord of the prefecture, Nie Yu was aware of the existence of evil spirits, and he had long known that his daughter, Nie Jin, was possessed by one. He had even helped her conceal the matter of capturing people for her sustenance.

“No! No! Even if she was possessed by an evil spirit, it was only temporary. I could still communicate with her; there was still hope!” Nie Yu shook his head desperately, saying, “She wasn’t completely dead; it was you, it was you who killed her!”

“When her true self appeared in front of me, her pupils turned black, and her body surged with ghostly energy, Nie Jin was already dead.” Zhou Heng spoke indifferently, “The prestigious lord of a prefecture, a Secret Sixth Rank Innate, deluding yourself like this?”

“Ahhhh!” Nie Yu cried out in anguish, tears streaming down his face, “Why, why is this happening? Ah Jin shouldn’t have such a fate!

“She is my only daughter. I treasured her like a jewel, listened to her call me father from her first mumbles to her clear voice, watched her grow bit by bit into a young lady—

“Why, why was she possessed by evil spirits, why did she adopt the ways of the Honghua Palace witches, why did she have to die so tragically, why, why?!”

He vented near madly, almost delirious with grief.

Zhou Heng stood by quietly watching, and after he had vented his frustration, he finally spoke, “Is this why you shielded her, even helped her to capture people for her sustenance?

“Those victims had daughters as well, wives, parents, loved ones. Have you ever thought of them? Is this what the lord of a prefecture should do?”

“Heh, lord of a prefecture? I’m just a father to a daughter!” Nie Yu turned to glower at Zhou Heng, suddenly scoffed and said, “Zhou Heng, you can stand there and question me now, fine!

“But let me ask you, if one day, someone you hold dear is eroded by an evil spirit, possessed, their body taken over, what would you do, would you kill them with your own hands? Huh?!”

“…” Zhou Heng fell slightly silent upon this question and after a long while finally responded earnestly, “I would do everything in my power to help them escape this predicament.”

“Hahahaha!!” Nie Yu suddenly burst into laughter as if he had heard the funniest joke in the world, then looked at Zhou Heng with mockery, “It seems you’re just like me then. I also thought of doing all I could to help Ah Jin escape her plight. What right do you have to stand there and question me?!”

“No, we are not the same,” Zhou Heng replied calmly, shaking his head, “You think you can help your daughter escape her predicament, but that’s an illusion. You’re an accomplice; you lack the ability, whereas I have it.”

Just kill the person possessed by the evil spirit along with the spirit, and then use a Resurrection Card.

I’m sorry, we really are different.

I have cheats, you don’t.

“You?!” Nie Yu was immediately left speechless with anger.

“Stop your complaints.” Zhou Heng squatted down, looked at Nie Yu and said gravely, “How exactly did Nie Jin come to be possessed by an evil spirit?”