Unexpected Assistance

Whoosh! The old man sprang from the ground and darted toward the inner courtyard.

"Old bastard!" Zhou Heng roared. He knew Zhou Xianming meant to use Zhou Dinghai to threaten him.

First Form of Heaven-Soaring!

In an instant, Zhou Heng entered a wondrous state. The sword qi cascading like a vast waterfall vanished at once. The entire courtyard seemed to shift from raging waves to utter calm, yet the stillness before a storm settled over everyone's heart. They all knew that what came next would be a thunderous strike!

Zhou Xianming bore the brunt of it, and naturally felt the greatest pressure!

It was as though the entire world was pressing down on him, making even the slightest movement of a finger feel impossibly difficult! Only then did he finally understand why his son had been killed by Zhou Heng's sword. Even he was affected by this pressure!

Zhou Heng let out a furious roar and swung his sword.

Clouds followed the dragon, wind followed the tiger. The Frost Cold Sword shot forth, carrying the heavens, earth, sun, and moon with it. It was as if the sky were collapsing, the ground caving in, and the sun, moon, and stars plunging down together! Faced with such a spectacle, anyone whose will wavered would be left groaning helplessly inside, at the mercy of their executioner.

—At this critical moment, Zhou Heng's potential erupted. He gained an even deeper grasp of the First Form of Heaven-Soaring, and its power grew stronger still!

Swordlight streaked across the air and swept toward Zhou Xianming.

Faced with this attack, Zhou Xianming had already turned around. How could he dare to leave his back exposed to Zhou Heng? But that was also exactly what he wanted: to force Zhou Heng into a head-on fight!

The old man let out a strange laugh and charged forward, his hands curling into claws as he lunged at Zhou Heng.

At the heights of the Blood Refining Realm, unless one had a truly divine weapon, no ordinary weapon could match one's own fists and feet! Zhou Xianming's claws had once torn apart a vicious beast at the Tenth Layer of Body Refining. If he caught Zhou Heng, the boy would be dead for sure!

Whoosh! A sword flashed past, and blood sprayed through the air.

Zhou Heng held his sword in his right hand, while his left pressed against his lower abdomen. Blood seeped between his fingers. Zhou Xianming had slashed open a gash there, but Zhou Heng had dodged in time with Flying Cloud Steps. Otherwise, his entire abdomen would have been ripped open!

Zhou Xianming had not escaped unscathed, either. A gash marked his left arm, and blood ran down in a long, trailing line.

This was the power of the First Form of Heaven-Soaring. This was the sharpness of the Frost Cold Sword!

Hiss!

The people in the courtyard were once again plunged into profound shock!

When had Zhou Xianming last been injured? Zhou Heng truly was no match for him, yet a single sword strike had made Zhou Xianming pay in blood, while Zhou Heng had suffered only a minor wound. What terrifying strength!

True, the boy had relied on the might of a sharp sword. But if that sword were handed to another person at the Bone Refining Realm, could they even brush Zhou Xianming's sleeve?

What a terrifying young man, with limitless potential!

Could it be that he had been biding his time all along, tempering his sword for ten years before finally unleashing a radiance that illuminated the world?

At that moment, no one dared underestimate Zhou Heng again. Though he had only just entered the Bone Refining Realm, everyone regarded him as a top expert at the Blood Refining Realm!

—Those who dared underestimate Zhou Heng were already lying on the ground. Zhou Kan and Zhou Jianming were examples enough.

Zhou Heng's goal of making a stunning entrance had been achieved in an even more shocking fashion!

"Old bastard, you have no shame!" Zhou Heng said with a cold snort. Sweat beaded on his forehead; that one strike had consumed nearly a fifth of his strength.

"The victor became king and the loser became an outlaw. If I can accomplish my goal, what does it matter if I stop at nothing?" Zhou Xianming said grimly. At this point, no amount of pretending to be magnanimous could hide his despicable conduct. So why bother concealing it?

As long as he killed Zhou Heng, he would remain the Great Elder of the Zhou Family, whose word was law. Who would dare criticize him?

In a few years, everyone would forget Zhou Heng and Zhou Dinghai. The defeated had no place in history!

"Fight me fairly, and I won't harm your father!" Zhou Xianming called out. He drove the aura of the Blood Refining Realm to its absolute peak. Its rumbling roar was like thunder, shaking people until they nearly fainted!

Despicable!

Everyone cursed him inwardly. He had the nerve to call this a fair fight! But under Zhou Xianming's tyrannical rule, who dared step forward?

Without Zhou Dinghai weighing him down, Zhou Heng might still have been able to flee on his own. But now? Zhou Heng truly was powerful and possessed terrifying potential, but he had only just entered the Bone Refining Realm. If he faced Zhou Xianming head-on, he was certain to lose!

And losing meant death!

This once-in-a-generation genius, who had finally come into his own, was destined to be a fleeting blossom!

Zhou Heng angled his sword across his body. He would make one last stand!

He would offer up the Second Form of Heaven-Soaring! Even if it could not seriously wound Zhou Xianming, he would at least injure him. If the other elders were still too cowed by the tyrant to "rebel" after that, then Zhou Heng would have nothing more to say!

What joy was there in living, what fear was there in death, for a true man?

A thought passed through Zhou Heng's mind, and everything suddenly became clear. His right hand trembled lightly, and the Frost Cold Sword began to vibrate with an incomparably mysterious rhythm. The movement was so faint that no one noticed it.

"Die!" Zhou Xianming's face twisted with savagery as he lunged at Zhou Heng.

Figures flashed. A heavy thud rang out, and dust billowed everywhere.

Everyone's vision blurred. When the dust settled, two figures stood facing each other. Zhou Xianming's beard and eyebrows were white, and blood qi surged around him as if it might burst into flames!

Opposite him stood another supreme expert, also surrounded by surging blood qi!

Had Zhou Heng been hiding his strength? Was his true cultivation at the Blood Refining Realm?

No!

That wasn't Zhou Heng. It was the honored guest Zhou Xianming had mentioned—the Green-Robed Elder!

Why? Why had this man suddenly stepped in to help Zhou Heng?

Everyone was completely baffled! If the Second, Third, Fourth, or Fifth Elder had intervened, they could all have understood. But why was it an outsider? What was going on?

"Brother Feng, why are you protecting this junior?" Facing the Green-Robed Elder, Zhou Xianming did not dare lower his guard in the slightest. There was even a trace of fear in his words!

The Green-Robed Elder smiled faintly, his hands clasped behind his back. "I came here on my sect's orders to find gifted young people. This young man can contend with someone in the Blood Refining Realm despite having only just entered the Bone Refining Realm. He is exactly the one I'm looking for."

A flash of anger crossed Zhou Xianming's face, but he immediately suppressed it. "Brother Feng, do me this favor. This rebellious wretch killed my only son and grandson. I must kill him!"

The Green-Robed Elder's expression turned grim. He stood his ground and said, "Zhou Xianming, if the sect learns that I let this talent slip through my fingers, can you shoulder the blame for me?"

"Do you want me to do you a favor? Why should I? Who do you think you are?"

The Green-Robed Elder showed him no courtesy at all. He called Zhou Xianming by name, and his words dripped with contempt, as though he were not facing the most powerful Great Elder in the Zhou Family, but some stray cat or dog.

Everyone was utterly astonished. They wondered where this "Brother Feng" had come from. He was outrageously bold!

"Feng Tengyuan, I've already lost my only son and grandson. I have nothing left to lose. Are you sure you want to make an enemy of me?" Zhou Xianming was clearly wary of the Green-Robed Elder. Even now, he only threatened him with words and did not rush into action.

"So what if we become enemies?" Feng Tengyuan said calmly. He looked completely unconcerned, but he had brought his hands forward from behind his back. Clearly, things were not as easy as he made them sound.

"Hmph! I'll kill this rebellious wretch today, no matter what!" Zhou Xianming snarled. He darted forward and attacked Zhou Heng once more.

Thud, thud, thud! Feng Tengyuan moved to block him. The two peak experts at the Twelfth Layer of Body Refining immediately began fighting at close quarters. Waves of force spilled outward, making everyone stagger and retreat again and again.

Strangely, Zhou Heng seemed to have gone numb. He stood motionless where he was!

Zhou Xianming attacked, but remained deeply wary of Feng Tengyuan and only tried to drive him back. When he saw Zhou Heng standing there dazed at such a critical moment, he was overjoyed. He suddenly slashed out with a claw, forcing Feng Tengyuan back, then lunged at Zhou Heng.

"Damn it!" Feng Tengyuan snarled, though it was unclear whether he was cursing Zhou Heng or Zhou Xianming. He let out a furious howl and raced back, his face flushing crimson. He slapped a palm toward Zhou Xianming's back.

He had used some secret art to forcibly halt his momentum before it had fully dissipated. It had clearly taken a heavy toll on his body, perhaps even injuring him!

Zhou Xianming knew this, too, and could not help snarling. "Feng Tengyuan, this rebellious wretch is no kin of yours. Why are you risking your life for him?"

He had no choice but to twist around and block Feng Tengyuan's palm. Otherwise, even if he killed Zhou Heng, he would still take a palm strike himself! A blow from an expert at the Twelfth Layer of Body Refining would leave him gravely wounded, if not dead!

And if he were gravely wounded, how could the wolves eyeing his position not swarm him? Hadn't those old bastards been waiting for just such an opportunity?

He was not about to die alongside Zhou Heng.

Clang, clang, bang! The two powerful experts clashed again. But with Zhou Heng standing there as an immobile target, Zhou Xianming held the absolute advantage, forcing Feng Tengyuan to fight with all his strength to protect him!

At this point, who could still believe Feng Tengyuan was helping Zhou Heng merely because he valued his talent? Even a father could hardly do more for a son in danger!

"Zhou Xianming, you've harmed your own clan. The rest of us elders have decided to strip you of your duties and throw you into the Family Punishment Hall to be punished. Surrender at once, or you'll be executed without mercy!"

Several figures rushed over together. The moment they came to a stop, they immediately shouted out.

They had finally arrived!

These four were the other elders of the Zhou Family. They had waited until now to appear because a powerful figure had stepped in to hold Zhou Xianming back. If they joined in now, they were certain to kill him!

The Zhou Family members sighed inwardly. It was no wonder Zhou Xianming had wielded absolute power as Great Elder. Just look at how little courage these four had. Could they really overthrow Zhou Xianming on their own?

Just then, Zhou Heng suddenly opened his eyes. Two Black Swords flashed and vanished in his pupils, and a terrible aura of bloodshed emanated from him.