Reaching the Pinnacle

At this moment, Liu Fei, the elder usually in charge of sect missions, rushed in and said to Su Huang, "Sect Master, Zhou Cheng has returned."

"He's back?" Su Huang was taken aback.

Liu Fei's expression was rather strange as he said, "He is currently at the Mission Hall handing in his mission. He brought back the heads of many Demonic Cult disciples."

Su Huang, Shi Fei, Wu Shuo, and the others were stunned.

"Many?" Su Huang asked, puzzled.

Liu Fei's breathing was slightly uneven: "They are still counting and verifying, but the current tally shows one hundred and thirty-two heads are from the Qi Refining Realm."

"What?!" Su Huang, Shi Fei, Wu Shuo, and the others exclaimed in unison.

"One hundred and thirty-two!" Gao Yi stammered.

Liu Fei took a deep breath: "There are sixteen heads that belong to Xiantian Realm masters."

"Sixteen Xiantian masters!" Gao Yi shouted, clearly agitated: "Impossible!"

"To the Mission Hall!" Su Huang commanded. He was the first to execute the Spirit Monkey Vaulting Technique, exiting the main hall and heading toward the Mission Hall.

Shi Fei, Wu Shuo, and the others swarmed out after him.

The Ten Thousand Stars Sect's Mission Hall was located on an adjacent peak, so Su Huang and the others arrived there quickly.

When they burst into the Mission Hall, they saw the floor covered in a vast expanse of heads, a dizzying sight—there must have been nearly two hundred of them.

The disciples of the Mission Hall, who were still in the middle of counting and verifying, hurriedly stopped and bowed when they saw Su Huang, Shi Fei, and the others rush in.

Su Huang, Shi Fei, and the others ignored the disciples entirely, rushing straight to the pile of heads.

When they saw the three long-haired heads placed at the very front, their eyes widened.

"The Three Great Ghost Crones?" Shi Fei managed to say, his throat feeling dry.

The Three Great Ghost Crones were the top experts of the Demonic Cult, excluding the Left and Right Envoys and the Twelve Demon Generals; all were at the sixth level of the Xiantian Realm. Yet, here their heads lay before them.

Back then, after Zhou Cheng had Qin Meng kill the Three Great Ghost Crones, he had severed their heads. Since they were at the sixth level of the Xiantian Realm, the sect contribution points and imperial merit points they could be exchanged for were staggering; naturally, he couldn't let them go to waste.

Everyone stared at the heads of the Three Great Ghost Crones, completely dazed.

Zhou Cheng, dressed in a pale blue brocade robe, spoke to Su Huang: "Apologies, Senior Brother. I was practicing my fist and blade techniques on the road, so I was delayed and returned a bit late."

Only then did Su Huang and the others pull their gazes away from the heads and look at Zhou Cheng.

"So that's why Junior Brother returned so late—you were delayed practicing your techniques." Su Huang forced a smile: "But what about the Three Great Ghost Crones and these other Demonic Cult experts? Can you explain, Junior Brother?"

Zhou Cheng was only at the first level of the Qi Refining Realm; it was impossible for him to have killed experts like the Three Great Ghost Crones.

"I have to explain?" Zhou Cheng didn't answer, instead asking: "If I don't explain clearly, I won't be able to receive the sect contribution points and imperial merit points?"

Su Huang's smile stiffened: "That is not what I meant, Senior Brother. I am merely curious."

In the end, after confirmation and counting, there were one hundred and sixty-three Qi Refining Realm disciples, almost all of whom were between the seventh and tenth levels.

There were sixteen Xiantian masters.

A total of one hundred and ninety-nine people.

Killing one person at the first level of the Xiantian Realm was worth one thousand contribution points.

In total, it came to forty-seven thousand three hundred contribution points.

Seeing Zhou Cheng's contribution points, even the Supreme Elders like Shi Fei and Wu Shuo couldn't help but feel their hearts pounding wildly.

Sect contribution points were extremely difficult to obtain.

Even after serving as Supreme Elders of the Ten Thousand Stars Sect for many years, none of them had ever accumulated more than ten thousand points.

Over forty thousand contribution points could be exchanged for items of staggering value within the sect.

And this time, there were also imperial merit points!

Amidst the complex gazes of the crowd, Zhou Cheng left the Mission Hall.

Dafeng Capital.

Zhou Mansion.

Zhou Wei was practicing his fist techniques. Although his heart meridian was injured, as long as he didn't circulate his internal energy, he was fine; he could still practice his punches and palm techniques in his daily routine.

After finishing a set of punches, Zhou Wei broke into a sweat. He stopped, went to the stone pavilion, and poured a bowl of wine to moisten his throat.

Just then, the guard Chang Qing entered to report that the Minister of War had arrived.

Zhou Wei told Chang Qing to invite him in quickly.

Jiang Haidong, the Minister of War, walked in. Seeing Zhou Wei from a distance, he laughed heartily: "Congratulations, Brother Zhou! Felicitations, Brother Zhou!" His joy was evident on his face.

Zhou Wei stood up to greet him, feeling puzzled, and asked with a smile: "Old Jiang, my Zhou Mansion hasn't held any celebrations lately. What are you congratulating me for so early in the morning?"

Jiang Haidong laughed: "News has just arrived that during this purge of the Demonic Cult, Zhou Cheng brought back the heads of one hundred and ninety-nine Demonic Cult experts!"

"One hundred and sixty-three from the Qi Refining Realm and sixteen Xiantian masters!"

"The news has already reached His Majesty, and he is shaken. I fear an imperial decree will arrive very soon, Brother Zhou. You must prepare yourself."

Zhou Wei swallowed the wine in his throat, stunned: "Zhou Cheng?"

At this moment, a shout rang out from outside: "The Imperial Edict has arrived!"

It was the voice of Cao Chun, the head eunuch by Emperor Zhu Xuan's side.

Ordinary imperial edicts did not require Cao Chun to read them aloud; only important ones warranted his personal delivery.

After returning to his courtyard from the Mission Hall, Zhou Cheng continued to flip through the movement technique manual he had obtained from the Demonic Cult Treasury.

His Roaming Dragon White Tiger Fist and Demon-Subduing Saber Technique had long since reached the pinnacle realm; of his three martial arts, only the Wind-Facing Willow Steps had yet to reach that level.

Although the Wind-Facing Willow Steps had not yet broken through to the pinnacle realm, it was close, already nearing 90 percent proficiency.

Just as Zhou Cheng was practicing his movement technique, Xing Yao came to see him.

Seeing his master carrying wine to find him again, Zhou Cheng gave a wry smile.

That day, the master and disciple once again sat knee-to-knee in conversation.

In the morning, Xing Yao arrived carrying wine, and when the sun set, he returned with an empty bottle.

After Xing Yao left, Zhou Cheng continued to practice his movement technique.

Late at night, he finally cultivated the Wind-Facing Willow Steps to the pinnacle realm.

Once the Wind-Facing Willow Steps broke through to the pinnacle realm, Zhou Cheng demonstrated it in his courtyard; like a willow in the wind, he drifted through the air, remaining aloft for a long time without touching the ground.

When he was at the mastery realm, his Wind-Facing Willow Steps could produce nine afterimages, but now at the pinnacle realm, he had reached twelve.

However, what puzzled Zhou Cheng was that after his Roaming Dragon White Tiger Fist and Demon-Subduing Saber Technique reached the pinnacle realm, they both generated fist intent and saber intent, yet the Wind-Facing Willow Steps had produced no martial intent upon reaching the pinnacle.

Zhou Cheng checked the system.

Host: Zhou Cheng

Northern Dark Divine Technique: Qi Refining Ninth Layer progress 92%

Primordial Boundless Scripture: Spirit Wandering Realm progress 63%

Tomorrow, with one more Nine-Orifice Golden Pill, he would be able to open his final meridian and break through to the tenth layer of Qi Refining.

I hope everyone can follow the new chapters daily and cast your recommendation votes; during the new book period, following and recommendation votes are very important.