The Golden-Crowned Snake

Though it was risky to confide in someone he barely knew, Zhou Heng had spent the past few days with Lin Fuxiang and believed she was a good person, just a little spoiled. Still, the Moon Shadow Heart Art was far too important!

He was now certain that the person who had died in the valley must have been a Spirit Gathering Realm expert. What kind of treasure was the Moon Shadow Heart Art, if a Spirit Gathering Realm expert had treasured it so dearly that it had cost him his life?

He and Lin Fuxiang said their goodbyes at the mouth of the cave and went their separate ways.

One was in a hurry to return to the Nine Spirits Sect and report the news about the Earth Rock Cloud Stone, while the other had to attend the Lineage's year-end celebration. They had already agreed to meet again, and since they were both young, neither felt much reluctance at parting. They readily headed off in opposite directions, soon disappearing into the forest.

Without that annoying young lady around, Zhou Heng's ears were finally at peace. Focused on martial arts, he soon put her lovely figure out of his mind. Only when his fingers occasionally brushed the sword hilt at his waist did he think of her again, and a faint smile would cross his face.

Lin Fuxiang hadn't told him where the Nine Spirits Sect was, only that even a blind man could find it. The Frost Cold Sword was his token; he only had to show it, and someone would naturally receive him.

Her tone was just like that of the people from White Jade Valley, as if the Nine Spirits Sect and White Jade Valley were household names. He could only attribute his ignorance to his own narrow horizons!

And that was indeed the case. Zhou Heng had always been isolated in the Zhou Family. Who would associate with a useless young master like him? His father, Zhou Dinghai, was away on business most of the year, and even when he occasionally returned, he only cared about Zhou Heng's "illness." Why would he bring up martial arts and upset him?

Though he was a son of a martial arts Household, Zhou Heng had never really entered that circle.

Zhou Heng hadn't given a second thought to letting Lin Fuxiang—or, rather, the Nine Spirits Sect—have the Earth Rock Cloud Stone. He had no way to mine it, no channels to sell it, and no strength to protect it. If such a fortune were exposed, it would only bring disaster.

The Blood Refining Realm wasn't the end of the martial path. Above it stood Spirit Gathering Realm experts. According to Lin Fuxiang, a hundred Blood Refining Realm masters together were no match for a single Spirit Gathering Realm expert!

The difference between the two was fundamental. One completely crushed the other!

If the Zhou Family got its hands on that Earth Rock Cloud Stone Mine, the only possible outcome would be that a powerful force pressured them into handing it over—or crushed them to dust!

His memory was getting better and better. He looked up at the sky, and a three-dimensional map of the terrain immediately surfaced in his mind. Raw Stone Town and his current location appeared clearly on it. He was confident the margin of error was no more than a hundred meters!

The Black Broken Sword had been quietly transforming his body, little by little. After three months, the changes were already quite noticeable.

Zhou Heng strode onward. Though the mountain path was steep, he was nearing the peak of the Sixth Layer of Body Refining. With the Flying Cloud Steps' subtlety, he moved over the ground as if it were flat, barely slowing his pace.

"There are ten days left before the New Year, but at my current speed, I can get back to Raw Stone Town in four days!"

Certain of this, he wasn't in a hurry. He mused that returning empty-handed didn't seem right. He ought to prepare a gift for his father, at the very least!

"That stingy woman!" Thinking of it, Zhou Heng couldn't help clenching his fists. They had found an Earth Rock Cloud Stone Mine, a fortune beyond measure, yet when they parted, Lin Fuxiang had still skinned the Six-Legged Giant-Headed Beast for its hide and taken its bones and teeth, leaving him with nothing but a bloody carcass!

How was he supposed to carry several hundred pounds of meat back?

Zhou Heng had only cut off a few choice cuts. He had to leave the rest behind. It was a terrible waste, but what could he do when time was limited?

Demon beast meat! It was a great tonic for martial artists!

Around noon, Zhou Heng stopped and built a campfire. He roasted the demon beast meat he had washed clean earlier. Before long, its aroma filled the air. He took a bite and found the meat tender and soft, with a springy texture. Even without a single seasoning, it was delicious!

No wonder demon beast meat was so valuable. It was not only a great tonic but also a top-tier delicacy!

After eating, Zhou Heng didn't set off right away. Instead, he sat down to refine the food in his stomach. It was certainly no match for the energy released by the Black Sword, but it was still demon beast meat! He had only eaten it twice in his life, and both times when he was very young. How could he waste it?

As the Moon Shadow Heart Art circulated, the demon beast meat immediately released a great deal of free energy under the art's influence, transforming it into True Essence Power that was stored in his muscles.

What powerful energy! It was at least ten times as potent as the energy from ordinary beasts!

In terms of quantity, it still fell short of what the Black Sword released, but not by much. If he could keep getting a steady supply, the gains over a whole day wouldn't be small!

"No wonder Lin Fuxiang reached the peak of the Ninth Layer of Body Refining at just eighteen. She advanced even faster than my father did!"

"Poor scholars, rich martial artists. I always thought the Zhou Family was wealthy, but compared to the truly powerful clans, we're no better than beggars!"

"I can't get complacent, either. Even with the Black Sword's help, I haven't gained much of an advantage in accumulating True Essence Power over the children of the truly powerful clans!"

"But I shouldn't sell myself short. On the martial path, accumulating True Essence Power is only a minor matter. Comprehension is what matters most. Take Lin Fuxiang: she said she entered the Bone Refining Realm at thirteen and reached its peak after only two years of accumulation, yet even now she has only glimpsed a chance to break through to the Blood Refining Realm!"

"I'm cultivating the Heaven-Soaring Nine Styles. When it comes to comprehension, I'm confident no one in the world can match me!"

Zhou Heng's heart swelled with pride. He let out a long cry, leapt up, and raced through the forest.

He was close to the Bone Refining Realm. He would break through within a day or two!

Who would believe that by the time he returned to the Zhou Family, he would have reached the Bone Refining Realm?

What expressions would the people in the Lineage wear when he stunned everyone at the New Year celebration?

Zhou Heng couldn't help looking forward to it!

The day passed quickly. Zhou Heng didn't travel through the night; he had plenty of time. Late at night, after refining all the free energy released by the Black Sword, he smiled faintly. Tomorrow—after absorbing the energy once more, he would be able to break through to the Bone Refining Realm!

A martial artist's cultivation could partly take the place of sleep. Sleep was still necessary, but the time could be greatly reduced. Three or four hours a day was enough. Only after intense battles did one need more rest.

When he got up early, Zhou Heng felt refreshed. After breakfast, he continued on his way. The Flying Cloud Steps carried him forward, light as an immortal, as if he might ride the wind away.

After traveling more than ten miles, he suddenly stopped. He tilted his head slightly and quieted his mind. Amid the howling mountain wind, he heard several human shouts. They were faint, clearly coming from far away.

Zhou Heng hesitated briefly, then immediately changed direction and ran toward the source of the shouts.

With the Flying Cloud Steps, three or four miles were nothing. Zhou Heng burst out of a small grove and saw, in the open space at its edge, five young men battling a giant snake!

The snake was nearly ten meters long and as thick as a barrel. Its entire body was black, but a golden, crown-shaped fleshy growth rose from its head, giving it a bizarre appearance!

A Golden-Crowned Snake!

Zhou Heng's eyes lit up. The greatest use of a Golden-Crowned Snake was its gallbladder, which could neutralize all poisons. It was worth a fortune!

But an adult Golden-Crowned Snake was a Bone Refining Realm beast. Though he was still dozens of meters away, Zhou Heng could feel its powerful aura. It was no weaker than the Six-Legged Giant-Headed Beast he had fought earlier!

The Ninth Layer of Body Refining!

Zhou Heng gripped the long sword at his waist. Without this divine weapon, he would have run without a second thought upon encountering a Ninth Layer of Body Refining demon beast. There was no treasure worth risking his life for!

But with the Frost Cold Sword in hand, he felt far more confident. This divine weapon could definitely cut through the Golden-Crowned Snake's bones!

As for the five young men, they were clearly losing under the attacks of the Ninth Layer of Body Refining beast. Yet one of them caught Zhou Heng's attention.

The young man wore a cold expression. His aura wasn't as powerful as the demon beast's, but it definitely surpassed Zhou Heng's. That put his cultivation at the Seventh or Eighth Layer of Body Refining. By rights, he shouldn't have stood a chance against the Golden-Crowned Snake.

Yet with a large, jade-green blade in hand, he spun and swept through the fight, somehow managing to contend with the snake. Each clash sent him staggering backward, but he showed no obvious signs of defeat!

If this young man reached the Ninth Layer of Body Refining, could he overpower the demon beast?

Even so, that wouldn't be enough. The Golden-Crowned Snake had the upper hand, its massive body moving with astonishing agility as it darted back and forth, forcing the five men to retreat again and again.

This was no longer a matter of the five men trying to kill the snake and seize its treasure. The Golden-Crowned Snake refused to let them go and wanted to make them its next meal!

Demon beasts were excellent nourishment for martial artists, but the reverse was also true: martial artists were nourishment for demon beasts.

"Ah—!" A young man screamed as the Golden-Crowned Snake coiled around him. As its body tightened, the sound of bones snapping rang throughout him—crack, crack, crack—like firecrackers going off.

His blood flow was cut off, and his face turned bright red. As the coils tightened further, his eyes burst from their sockets with a wet pop. Blood gushed from his seven orifices. He looked utterly horrifying.

He didn't even have time to struggle before he died on the spot!

"Shi Hu!" the other four young men cried, their voices full of rage.

Zhou Heng sighed inwardly. He launched into the Flying Cloud Steps and shot off the treetop, hurtling toward the Golden-Crowned Snake like an arrow. The Frost Cold Sword rang as it left its sheath. He slashed, and layers of sword shadows fell like a flying waterfall.

It was the Flying Waterfall Sword Technique!

Using the First Form of Heaven-Soaring would indeed be powerful, but at his current cultivation, he could only slash five times in a row. That wouldn't guarantee he could kill the Golden-Crowned Snake. If he ran out of strength, he'd be done for!

The Heaven-Soaring Second Style?

It might kill the beast instantly, but it would leave him completely weakened. Should he entrust his life to four strangers?

Of course Zhou Heng wouldn't!