Shi Qingfeng

A nineteen-year-old at the Ninth Layer of Body Refining—such talent was no weaker than Zhou Dinghai's!

"So what if he's at the Ninth Layer of Body Refining? He's just a few years older. At the same Bone Refining Realm, who wins and who loses is still up in the air!" After a moment of silence, a youth suddenly spoke up.

A chorus of defiant agreement erupted around him.

In this world, strength was everything. To earn the genuine admiration of these geniuses who had always looked down on their peers, cultivation realm alone wasn't enough—combat prowess mattered too!

True geniuses could even defy the odds and slay higher-ranked martial artists!

"If it came to a real fight, all ten of you together wouldn't be a match for Brother Qingfeng!" That youth, undaunted by the crowd's anger, jumped onto the table, waving his arms and spraying spittle.

"Get down!"

"What's so great about the Shi Family? They don't even have a Spirit Gathering Realm powerhouse sitting there—what foundation can they have?"

"Beat this kid up!"

The youths, all hot-blooded and impulsive, shouted in unison. Strangely, though their voices were lively, no one actually made a move; they just escalated the verbal brawl.

Zhou Heng rescued a dish from the chaos, carried his bowl to the far edge, hoping that if a real fight broke out, the collateral damage wouldn't ruin his dinner.

"Hmph, so what if the Shi Family is domineering?"

With a cold laugh full of authority, a tall figure strode over. Wherever he passed, the nearby crowd was forcibly pushed back by his imposing aura, clearing a path automatically.

A young man around twenty years old stood in the center of the hall, proud and aloof, radiating a formidable presence.

Ninth Layer of Body Refining!

Everyone tensed. They had been forced back by the sheer momentum this youth exuded—this wasn't something an ordinary Ninth Layer of Body Refining could achieve!

After all, they were all geniuses selected from various towns, each capable of challenging those above their rank. Yet before this young man, they felt utterly powerless, as if a single flick of his finger could crush them.

What a terrifying fellow!

"Hahaha, now you know how formidable Brother Qingfeng is, right?" The arrogant youth from before crowed triumphantly, as if he himself were Shi Qingfeng.

"I've long heard the Shi Family produced two geniuses, Shi Qingfeng and Shi Gang. Why is only one here this time?"

"Haha, I heard Shi Gang was killed—only one escaped!"

Two more voices rang out. From the two side corridors of the hall emerged two young men, also around twenty. One stood with arms crossed, face full of disdain; the other leaned against the wall, wearing a lazy smile.

"The Zhang Family's genius, Zhang Zijun!"

"The Chang Family's prodigy, Chang Kang!"

These two youths were clearly well-known and were immediately recognized.

"Add the Shen Family's genius girl, Shen Xinqi, and you've got the four strongest talents in this Mountain-Opening Selection!"

"All at the Ninth Layer of Body Refining—monsters!"

"At the same age, two layers ahead—you have to admit it!"

Shi Qingfeng's gaze turned cold. Shi Gang being killed in the Heaven-Leveling Mountain Range was a great humiliation for the entire Shi Family, and he had sworn to slay that sword-wielding youth!

Though he had never thought much of Shi Gang, the Shi Family's name could not be sullied by outsiders, nor could its members be killed with impunity!

His icy eyes swept over Zhang Zijun and Chang Kang as he said coldly, "In ten days, I will personally defeat you both and show you what a true genius is!"

"Shi Qingfeng, don't be so arrogant!" Chang Kang shook his head, still wearing that lazy smile. "Defeating you? I only need three moves. Fine, to save face, I'll say ten at most!"

Everyone fell silent. Who was being more arrogant here?

"You two can come at me together. I'll finish you both in ten moves!" Zhang Zijun, unwilling to be outdone, joined the verbal fray.

The three geniuses stared coldly at each other, their battle-hungry gazes clashing, the air thick with tension.

The youths were all excited. In truth, with these three Ninth Layer of Body Refining geniuses appearing, the top three spots were already a foregone conclusion. But seeing them lock horns like this was still thrilling.

What martial artist didn't crave a fight? Without the desire for victory, where would the drive to advance come from?

Zhou Heng watched coldly, his heart undisturbed.

—He had slain an expert at the peak of the Twelfth Layer of Body Refining. Why would he care about mere Ninth Layer juniors?

Bored, he returned to his room and began studying the Fourth Form of Heaven-Soaring.

The next morning, Feng Tengyuan came to visit, saying Zhou Dinghai's injuries were under control, but treating them was tricky.

In fact, there were two simple ways to counter the Crimson Flame Heart-Burning Palm. First, a targeted antidote could be concocted, but the recipe was only held by White Jade Valley—obtaining it would require going there. Second, a Spirit Gathering Realm expert could use their own spiritual power to expel the fire poison from Zhou Dinghai.

This second method seemed easy enough, but could Feng Tengyuan actually get a Spirit Gathering Realm expert to help?

Fortunately, he had already sent word to Lin Fuxiang. Once the young lady arrived, getting a Spirit Gathering Realm expert to act would be effortless.

Zhou Heng thanked Feng Tengyuan, thinking that this time he'd owe Lin Fuxiang a favor whether he liked it or not. Imagining that young lady standing with her hands on her hips, grinning smugly, he couldn't help but shake his head.

He learned that the Nine Spirits Sect's main base wasn't in Fengyu City at all, but a hundred li outside, at the foot of a mountain—the same went for White Jade Valley and Azure Cloud Sect. Though Fengyu City was the center of power, it was merely run by personnel dispatched by the Three Great Sects.

As for why the sects were set up far from civilization, Feng Tengyuan said it was beneficial for martial artists' cultivation.

Zhou Heng hadn't noticed any increase in his cultivation speed after entering the Heaven-Leveling Mountain Range, so this benefit might not apply to Body Refining Realm martial artists, but rather to Spirit Gathering Realm experts!

Spirit Gathering Realm experts absorbed the world's spiritual energy to strengthen themselves—their cultivation method was completely different from the Body Refining Realm's.

After sending Feng Tengyuan off, Zhou Heng went to the city's pharmacy and sold the Golden-Crowned Snake's fangs for over four hundred taels of silver, but he immediately spent it all, buying two Gathering Essence Pills.

The Gathering Essence Pill was the best choice for a martial artist to rapidly increase their accumulation of True Essence Power. Just like the Black Broken Sword, after taking a Gathering Essence Pill, it would instantly release free-floating energy, greatly reducing a martial artist's training time—half the effort, double the result!

However, at two hundred taels of silver per pill, the price was outrageously expensive!

With nine days left until the entrance examination, relying solely on the Black Broken Sword, he couldn't possibly reach the Eighth Layer of Body Refining before that deadline. That was why, following Feng Tengyuan's advice, he thought of the Gathering Essence Pill—he had never even heard of such a pill before this.

"These ten years, I might as well have been living outside the world!"

Zhou Heng couldn't help but sigh inwardly. Carrying the two Gathering Essence Pills, he returned to the inn. Just as he was about to enter, he suddenly saw someone coming out. In the instant before they collided, Zhou Heng moved with Flying Cloud Steps, dodging at the very last moment.

Oh?

When he saw the person's face clearly, a fierce killing intent flashed in his eyes!

This man was the sole survivor of Shi Gang's group!

"Ah—" The youth also recognized Zhou Heng's face, instantly turning pale with fright. He scrambled back into the inn, letting out howls like a ghost's wail, stirring up everyone in the entire inn.

Zhou Heng wasn't in a hurry to act. That youth was only at the Sixth Layer of Body Refining, unqualified to participate in the Nine Spirits Sect's entrance examination, so he must have come following a genius from his clan.

After just a short while, the youth shuffled back out trembling, and beside him was another person—Shi Qingfeng!

Zhou Heng let out an "oh" of realization. He remembered now—yesterday, Chang Kang and Zhang Zijun had mentioned that another genius of the Shi family had been killed in the Heaven-Leveling Mountain Range. Damn, so that person was him!

"Is it him?" Shi Qingfeng stared at Zhou Heng but asked the youth.

"Reporting to Young Master Qingfeng, it was this brat who killed Brother Gang... no, Shi Gang!" The youth quickly corrected himself. He used to follow Shi Gang and had been at odds with Shi Qingfeng, but now that Shi Gang was dead, there was no longer any suspense over who would be the Shi family's future heir.

Ordinarily, a "defector" like him could never become a trusted subordinate, but since he was the only one who had seen Zhou Heng, Shi Qingfeng had brought this "eyewitness" along, thinking the other party might come to the Three Great Sects' Mountain-Opening Selection.

Coincidentally, Zhou Heng not only came but was also chosen by the Nine Spirits Sect!

"This Young Master has no interest in asking your name. Kill yourself!" Shi Qingfeng said flatly, his tone brimming with overwhelming confidence, like an emperor looking down from on high.

So arrogant!

By now, many youths had come out to watch the commotion, while others stood by their room windows, looking down.

Zhou Heng casually brushed off his hand and said, "Get lost. I don't have time for you!"

Tsk, this guy's arrogance was no less!

"Hahaha, kid, you're clever!" Shi Qingfeng suddenly burst into laughter. "You know the Nine Spirits Sect's rules—striking during the examination period will automatically disqualify you, so this Young Master can't do anything to you, right?"

Zhou Heng was slightly taken aback. He really hadn't known about such a rule; Feng Tengyuan had never mentioned it. Then again, in Feng Tengyuan's eyes, Zhou Heng was the future young master-in-law. What did it matter if the young master-in-law beat up a few people?

"For now, this Young Master can't do anything to you. But don't run into me on the day of the examination, or I'll break every single one of your bones!" Shi Qingfeng's tone shifted, filled with chilling murderous intent.

Zhou Heng stared back at him coldly. This guy should know why Shi Gang died, yet he didn't bring up the reason at all—he just wanted to kill him!

Not for family bonds, but for so-called family honor!

For family bonds, Zhou Heng could understand, just as he would stop at nothing to find and kill the one who had injured Zhou Dinghai!

But family honor?

What was there to be honored in this at all?