I Cheated While Cultivating

Chapter 194: Return to Ta Hua

In Zhou Heng’s view, this whole affair was permeated with strangeness.

First of all, there was the timing of the issuing of the KIlling Orders by the Xiazhou Heavenly Palace and the Plague Emperor Sect.

These two heretical paths indeed had reasons to issue a Killing Order against him; Zhong Xinghai, the Fifth Rank Sect Master of the Xiazhou Heavenly Palace, and Ma Quan, the Sixth Rank Innate of the Plague Emperor Sect, both died at his hands.

But, hadn’t the news spread too quickly?

Zhong Xinghai died at the hands of a projection of Yan Shouyi summoned by him five days ago, while Ma Quan was killed by him only yesterday.

Even if the Xiazhou Heavenly Palace and the Plague Emperor Sect were truly enraged by this and were willing to completely break with the Pure Yang Palace over it, the Killing Order shouldn’t have reached this Red Leaf Mansion so quickly.

Not to mention that now even the Honghua Palace and the Nine Deaths Sect had also issued Killing Orders against him.

The four major heretical paths moving in unison, issuing a Killing Order against the deputy leader of the Pure Yang Palace, the foremost of the righteous paths, was a blatant provocation.

It had even become more than just an issue for the Pure Yang Palace alone.

It would likely become a storm sweeping through the entire realm of Da Qi.

“Do I really have such great value?” Zhou Heng furrowed his brows tightly, feeling sure that there was more to this matter, “Did Sister Qi Rui previously advise me to return to the mountain for a period of secluded cultivation for this reason?

“Could it be related to the world-shaking demon and demon disasters that emerged from the forbidden lands of the West Wasteland? All the Celestial Men of the age have gone to Xi Liang; could it be that some great change has occurred there?”

His mind whirled with thoughts.

Suddenly, he realized that not only did he know very little about past history, but he also didn’t know much about the various events of the current era.

“The more I know, the more dangerous it becomes. What kind of logic is that?” Zhou Heng thought of The Supreme and nature’s explanation to him about the matters related to demon entities.

Question after question sprouted in his heart.

The thought of returning to the Pure Yang Palace suddenly became intense.

It wasn’t to avoid the Killing Orders.

It was to inquire clearly about what kind of changes the Pure Yang Palace had recently encountered, or what kind of changes had occurred in the situation of the world.

Thinking about this, he looked up at the sky,

Then, Zhou Heng withdrew his gaze from the firmament and said to Jiang Hong in front of him, “Miss Jiang, I have some urgent matters and must leave at once, farewell.”

“Hmm, Daoist Master take care,” Jiang Hong nodded her head in acknowledgment.

In her view, these four Killing Orders must have had a significant impact on Zhou Heng, and choosing to temporarily avoid the limelight was a reasonable action.

Zhou Heng went back to the inn, mounted his red horse, and quickly left the prefectural city of Red Leaf.

However, once he reached a secluded place outside the city, he stopped and waited quietly.

After a short while, a pure and white jade-like radiance descended from the firmament, hovering in front of Zhou Heng, revealing a figure within.

This was a woman in her thirties, wearing a modest and simple moon-white Taoist robe, with a beautiful appearance and a serene demeanor. She was none other than Qi Rui, Master of the Jade Qiong Peak of the Pure Yang Palace, and Cheng Jianjian’s teacher.

“Sister Qi,” Zhou Heng greeted with a bow of his hands.

“You have a remarkable Divine Soul,” Qi Rui’s cool visage flashed a hint of admiration as she said, “You actually noticed me.”

She had actually never returned to the Pure Yang Palace but had been following Zhou Heng from the sky, ready to intervene in case of any unexpected events, and also waiting for Zhou Heng to change his mind about earlier decisions.

Although she had not deliberately hidden her form and aura, she had always been flying high above, tens of thousands of feet in the sky, and under normal circumstances, with Zhou Heng’s cultivation realm, it should have been impossible for him to perceive her presence.

“Barely counts as a peculiar talent,” Zhou Heng said with a smile, “Sister has been watching over me from the sky for quite some time, so naturally, I’ve developed some sense of it.”

Now that he had reached the Martial Path Seventh Rank, his Divine Soul had further strengthened, and with the original foundation of his spirit gaining a +4 bonus, purely in terms of Divine Soul strength, he was already stronger than the average Sixth Rank Innate.

Barely perceiving someone in the sky watching oneself, without having concealed their Absolute Fourth Rank, was actually not an impossible feat.

“Hmm, good aptitude,” Qi Rui gently nodded her head and said, “No wonder my senior uncle asked our Sect leader to take you as a disciple for him. Junior Brother, have you changed your mind and decided to return to the mountain for quiet cultivation?”

“It is to return to the mountain, but not for quiet cultivation,” Zhou Heng gently shook his head and said, “I have some questions I’d like to ask. If Senior Sister can provide answers, I might not need to return to Ta Hua.”

“Better to go back to the mountain first,” Qi Rui stated indifferently, and at the same time, a sphere of white jade radiance extended from beneath her feet, “Bring your horse up, Junior Brother.”

“Thank you, Senior Sister,” Zhou Heng nodded, leading his red horse onto Qi Rui’s cloud light.

…

Fourth Rank in the Martial Path is known as a Great Grandmaster, having truly transcended above the ordinary realm.

It is said that in the ancient times of immortals and gods, those who cultivated the Yang God’s Dharma Body could be called “Celestial Man.”

Though still human, they possess the honorific of “immortal,” which implies their vast and powerful capabilities.

Pingzhou lay more than a dozen states and counties away from Taihua Mount, spanning tens of thousands of miles, but Qi Rui, taking Zhou Heng with her, used less than a day’s time to return to Pure Yang Palace.

Such speed was truly worthy of being considered divine among immortals.

However, once back at the mountain, Qi Rui did not address Zhou Heng’s doubts.

It seemed she was only responsible for bringing Zhou Heng back. After settling him in at Jade Xu Peak, she returned to her own Jade Qiong Peak.

This posed a dilemma for Zhou Heng.

Although he had stayed in Ta Hua for over two months, he had been focused on cultivating the whole time. He hadn’t even fully recognized all the True Disciples of Jade Xu Peak, let alone found someone to ask questions of.

After much deliberation, he decided to visit Zixia Peak.

He planned to ask You Ziheng for information.

…

Between the various peaks of Pure Yang Palace, there were teleportation arrays set up, which Zhou Heng, with his status, could basically use to travel between peaks without issue.

Therefore, he originally planned to use the teleportation array to visit Zixia Peak, as he had not yet reached Sixth Rank and thus lacked the ability to fly.

But just as he arrived at the teleportation array on the celestial platform of Jade Xu Peak, he saw a little blue figure dart through layers of clouds and come to the side of this celestial platform.

This was a palm-sized, water-blue mythical creature with the head of a dragon, the deity of a deer, the tail of an ox, and the hooves of a horse, covered in water-blue scales—none other than the young water kylin that You Ziheng had been raising in the cloud sea of Taihua Mount.

“Aoao!” The young water kylin called out twice, wagging its tail at Zhou Heng and then transforming into a large mythical beast over ten feet tall.

“Do you mean to let me ride you there?” Zhou Heng looked at the water kylin and asked in surprise.

“Aoao!” The water kylin nodded, its tail wagging even more cheerfully.

“Haha, then I thank you,” Zhou Heng laughed and with a leap mounted the broad back of the water kylin. Immediately he felt a sharp jolt as the water kylin carried him into the clouds.

Following that, the rich and dense elemental energy of heaven and earth entered his senses, nourishing his body and causing his Inner Qi to rapidly increase.

The cloud sea of Taihua Mount was not ordinary mist, but condensed from the elemental energy between heaven and earth. Within this cloud sea, even the act of breathing was a process of absorbing elemental energy.

In no time at all, Zhou Heng rode the water kylin to Zixia Peak.

After setting Zhou Heng down, the water kylin instantly shrank back to the size of a palm and scurried off toward You Ziheng’s cave residence, seemingly intent on sneaking some wine to drink.

“Looks like I’ve brought a wine thief to Senior Brother You,” Zhou Heng couldn’t help but laugh. Then, he saw a flash of light at the entrance of the cave.

“Junior Brother, long time no see,” You Ziheng’s voice came through, tinged with the smell of alcohol. Soon after, he emerged from the cave holding the water kylin by the scruff of its neck, laughing and saying, “Seeing you like this, you must have something to inquire about.”