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A nineteen-year-old at the ninth layer of Body Refinement, such talent is not even inferior to Zhou Dinghai!
"What's so great about the ninth layer of Body Refinement? It's just relying on being a few years older. When both are in the Bone Refinement Realm, who will lose and who will win is still unknown!" After a silence, a young man suddenly spoke up.
Immediately, a chorus of dissenting voices arose around him.
In this world, strength represents everything. To truly earn the respect of these geniuses, who have been looking down on their peers since childhood, one looks not only at the realm of cultivation but also at battle power!
True geniuses are capable of defeating high-tier martial artists!
"If it really came to a fight, ten of you combined wouldn't be a match for Brother Qingfeng!" The young man, fearless of the crowd's anger, stood on the table, gesticulating wildly and spitting as he talked.
"Get down!"
"What's so great about the Shi Family? Without a Spirit Gathering Realm expert at its helm, what sort of foundation can it have?"
"Beat this kid up!"
All the young men, brimming with youthful vigor, started shouting and inciting, but strangely, although they were vociferous, none of them truly took action, and the war of words grew even more heated.
Zhou Heng saved a plate of food and, holding his bowl of rice, retreated to the very edge to avoid getting caught in the crossfire if these people really started fighting, which would ruin his dinner.
"Hmph, so what if the Shi Family is overbearing!"
A snorted laugh, carrying a tone of authority, filled the air, and a tall figure walked over. As the figure passed, the crowd was involuntarily forced back by the imposing aura, automatically clearing a path.
A young man, about twenty years old, walked to the center of the main hall, standing proudly and radiating an imposing aura.
Body Refinement Ninth Layer!
Everyone felt a chill; they had been pushed back by merely the aura of this young man, something not typical of a Body Refinement Ninth Layer!
Keep in mind that all of them were geniuses chosen from their respective towns, each with the ability to challenge beyond their level. Yet, in front of this young man, they felt incredibly weak, as if he could crush them with a flick of his finger.
What a terrifying fellow!
"Hahaha, now you know how formidable Brother Qingfeng is, right?" The previously arrogant young man spoke smugly, acting as if he was Shi Qingfeng himself.
"I've long heard that the Shi Family produced two geniuses, Shi Qingfeng and Shi Gang. How come only one has come this time?"
"Haha, I heard Shi Gang was slaughtered by someone, and only one person managed to escape back!"
Two more voices rose, and a young man appeared in each of the walkways on either side of the main hall, also in their twenties. One crossed his arms with a look of disdain while the other leaned lazily against the wall, a casual smile on his face.
"The Zhang Family's genius Zhang Zijun!"
"The Chang Family's exceptional Chang Kang!"
These two young men were evidently well-known, as they were recognized by the crowd immediately.
"Add the Shen Family's talented girl Shen Xinqi to the mix, and you have the four strongest geniuses participating in this selection for the grand opening of the mountain gate!"
"They are all freakish talents at the ninth layer of Body Refinement!"
"Of similar ages, yet two layers apart in realms, one has to concede to their superiority!"
Shi Qingfeng's gaze turned icy. Shi Gang being butchered in the Pingtian Mountain Range was a great humiliation for the entire Shi Family, and he had sworn to slay that sword-wielding young master! Although he had never taken Shi Gang seriously, the dignity of the Shi Family could not be tarnished by insults or killings from others!
Shi Qingfeng glared coldly at Zhang Zijun and Chang Kang, saying coldly, "In ten days, I will defeat you both with my own hands, to show you what a true genius is!"
"Shi Qingfeng, don't be so arrogant!" Chang Kang shook his head, still looking utterly relaxed, "To defeat you, I only need three moves. Well, to save some face for you, let's say ten at most!"
The crowd fell silent. Who was actually being more arrogant?
"The two of you can come at me together; I can deal with you all within ten moves!" Zhang Zijun added eagerly to the verbal sparring.
The three great talents gave each other cold looks, their gazes full of fighting spirit, sweeping back and forth, filled with the air of tension.
The young men grew excited. Indeed, the emergence of these three geniuses at the ninth layer of Body Refinement had already suggested that the top three spots were no longer in doubt, but the prospect of witnessing their pointed confrontation was still thrilling.
A martial artist, who doesn't love a bold and fierce battle? Without the desire for victory, where would the motivation to advance come from?
Zhou Heng watched indifferently, inwardly undisturbed.
—Having slain an expert at the peak of Body Refining Twelfth Layer, would he be bothered by juniors at the Body Refinement Ninth Layer?
Feeling uninterested, he returned to his room and started to delve into the fourth form of Soaring Heaven.
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The next morning, Feng Tengyuan came to visit and said that Zhou Dinghai's injuries had been controlled, but the treatment was a bit tricky.
In fact, there were two methods to neutralize the effects of the Crimson Flame Burning Heart Palm. First, one could concoct an antidote, provided they had the recipe, which only White Jade Valley possessed. Obtaining the formula would necessitate a visit to White Jade Valley!
Second, was to have an expert of the Spirit Gathering Realm use their spiritual power to expel the fire toxin from Zhou Dinghai's body.
This method appeared simple in theory, but could Feng Tengyuan actually persuade an expert of the Spirit Gathering Realm?
Fortunately, he had already sent a message to Lin Fuxiang. As long as the young miss arrived, soliciting the assistance of a Spirit Gathering Realm expert would be effortless.
After thanking Feng Tengyuan, Zhou Heng thought that he would owe Lin Fuxiang a favor this time. Imagining the young miss standing before him with her hands on her hips, laughing triumphantly, he couldn't help but shake his head.
Only then did he realize that the main headquarters of the Nine Spirit Sect wasn't inside Fengyu City, but a hundred miles outside the city, constructed at the base of a mountain—this was also true for White Jade Valley and Azure Cloud Sect. Although Fengyu City was the center of power, it was essentially just managed by emissaries from the three great sects.
As for why the sects were located far from the dust of the world, according to Feng Tengyuan, it was conducive to a martial artist's cultivation.
Zhou Heng hadn't felt any increase in the speed of his cultivation after entering the Pingtian Mountain Range, so perhaps this benefit wasn't meant for Body Refinement Realm martial artists, but for the experts of the Spirit Gathering Realm!
After seeing off Feng Tengyuan, Zhou Heng went to a pharmacy in the city and sold the teeth of the Golden Crown Snake, earning more than four hundred silver. However, he immediately spent it all to purchase two Gathering Yuan Pills.
Gathering Yuan Pills were a martial artist's best option for rapidly increasing their accumulation of True Yuan Force. Just like the Broken Sword, once consumed, the Gathering Yuan Pill would immediately release stray energy, greatly reducing the cultivation time and doubling the effectiveness!
However, at two hundred silver per pill, the price was outrageously expensive!
With nine days left before the entrance examination, relying solely on the Broken Sword, he couldn't possibly reach the Eighth Layer of Body Refinement. That's why, under Feng Tengyuan's guidance, he thought of the Gathering Yuan Pill—he hadn't heard of this pill before.
"I've been living outside the world for the past ten years!"
Zhou Heng couldn't help but sigh inwardly. Carrying the two Gathering Yuan Pills, he returned to the inn. Just as he was about to enter, he noticed someone coming out. He quickly performed the Cloud Flying Step and nimbly dodged to avoid a collision at the last moment.
Huh?
When he saw the person's face clearly, a chilling murderous intent flashed in his eyes!
This person was the sole survivor from Shi Gang's group!
"Ah— " The youth also recognized Zhou Heng and instantly turned pale, scrambling back into the inn, screaming like a ghostly wail along the way, and stirring up the entire inn's occupants.
Zhou Heng was not in a hurry to act. The young man only had the cultivation of the Body Refinement Sixth Layer and didn't qualify for the Nine Spirit Sect's entrance examination. So he must have come with a talented member of his family.
It wasn't long before the young man returned, shivering. Next to him was another person—Shi Qingfeng!
Zhou Heng silently acknowledged this fact. He remembered that yesterday Chang Kang and Zhang Zijun mentioned that another genius from the Shi Family had been killed in the Pingtian Mountain Range. Damn, that person was himself!
"Is it him?" Shi Qingfeng stared at Zhou Heng but was asking the other youth.
"Back to Young Master Qingfeng, it's this kid who killed Brother Gang... I mean, Shi Gang!" The youth hastily corrected himself. He used to hang around with Shi Gang, not getting along with Shi Qingfeng. Now that Shi Gang was dead, the future successor of the Shi Family was without doubt.
Normally, a "demoted general" like him could never become a trusted aide, but he was the only one who had seen Zhou Heng. Shi Qingfeng, thinking the latter might attend the grand selection hosted by the three great sects, included this "eyewitness" with him.
By a stroke of luck, Zhou Heng didn't just arrive but was also selected by the Nine Spirit Sect!
"I have no interest in asking your name. Take your own life!" Shi Qingfeng said indifferently, with a tone full of immense confidence, like an emperor aloof from the masses.
Such arrogance!
By now, many youths had come out to watch the excitement, while others stood looking out from the windows of their rooms.
Zhou Heng casually flicked his sleeve and said, "Buzz off, I don't have time for you!"
His, this guy's arrogance wasn't inferior at all!
"Hahaha, kid, you're clever!" Shi Qingfeng suddenly burst into laughter, "You know the rules of the Nine Spirit Sect. If you act during the examination period, you'll automatically lose your qualifications. You think I can't do anything to you, right?"
Zhou Heng was slightly taken aback, as he truly didn't know about this rule. Feng Tengyuan hadn't mentioned it to him. After all, in Feng Tengyuan's eyes, Zhou Heng was the future son-in-law; what's the big deal if a son-in-law wants to beat up a few people?
"Right now, I indeed can't do anything to you. However, don't let me run into you on the day of the examination. Otherwise, I'll break every bone in your body!" Shi Qingfeng's tone suddenly changed, filled with a bone-chilling murderous intent.
Zhou Heng met his gaze coldly. This guy must know why Shi Gang died but didn't mention the cause at all; he just wanted to kill him!
It was not for kinship but for so-called family honor!
To avenge family, Zhou Heng could understand, just as he would go to any lengths to find and eliminate the culprit who injured Zhou Dinghai!
But family honor?
Where was there even a trace of honor in that?