I Cheated While Cultivating

Chapter 432: Chapter 151: The Shark People Nation

Long before his time in the Jade Pearl Country, Zhou Heng had heard some legends about the Mermaid Kingdom.

It was said that the land here flowed with gold, that the very earth was golden in hue, and that the fruits borne by the trees sparkled with the color of metal and gems. The flesh of the fruit could prolong one’s life, while the dried pits would turn into exquisite gemstones.

It was said that every citizen of the Mermaid Kingdom was as beautiful as the country itself, with both men and women possessing an extraordinary beauty and physique that ordinary members of the Human Race could not compare with.

There was also an important legend that on the fifteenth of every month, a unique blue moonlight would rise from the sea adjacent to the Mermaid Kingdom, forming a bridge-like pathway above the land bathed in moonlight.

Anyone who could walk this road and ascend to that realm of blue moonlight would awaken the innate divine ability of the mermaids, obtaining immense power without any need for cultivation.

This resulted in the Mermaid Kingdom having an extremely large number of Middle Third Rank powerhouses, with virtually no one corresponding to the Lower Third Rank.

Although there were only a handful of Upper Third Rank adepts within the Mermaid Kingdom, relying on the sheer number of Middle Third Rank strongmen placed the power of the Mermaid Kingdom firmly among the top ranks of the Eastern Sea countries.

Of course, these were all but rumors Zhou Heng had heard in the Jade Pearl Country, their authenticity questionable. The actual situation would require his own investigation.

“At least the part about the land being golden must be nonsense,” Zhou Heng remarked as he stepped onto the soil of the Mermaid Kingdom, feeling its moist and slippery texture, much like moss-covered wet ground.

All around him was a dense jungle filled with tree species and wildlife that simply did not exist on the mainland.

It seemed like a paradise untouched by the outside world.

However, this serene vista only lasted for a moment.

The next instant, Zhou Heng heard thunderous roars that threatened to shatter eardrums from the sky above. Through the dense foliage, he could see the pale blue sky suddenly turning dark.

Soon the whole world was pitch black.

Followed by that, a water-blue spear thousands of feet long descended from the heavens. Wrapped in countless thunderbolts, it was imbued with the intent of destruction, causing the principles of the void to scatter and flee.

Boom!

It was as if Heavenly Punishment had descended, engulfing an area of several dozen miles in a sea of thunder in an instant. The once dense forest and peculiar animals turned to char before reducing to dust, leaving nothing behind.

At the heart of the thunderous sea, the glow of the blue spear still targeted Zhou Heng, aiming to eradicate him with all its might in a strike destined to kill, leaving no room for return.

“Aren’t the Mermaid Tribe supposed to be gentle by nature?” Zhou Heng said with a wry smile, shaking his head as he gently pushed the headdress on his crown. Immediately, a mass of profound yellow energy burst forth.

In the blink of an eye, the thirty-three-layered Profound Yellow Pagoda condensed, clouds of celebration unfurled, and profound yellow energy transformed into a cascade that enveloped him completely.

All evil retreats, all laws do not invade!

No matter how the sea of thunder raged, nor how the blue spear shimmered, Zhou Heng stood his ground unfazed and unharmed.

This sudden attack could not inflict any harm upon him.

After a moment, the boiling sea of thunder gradually subsided, and the lightning on the blue spear started to diminish. However, the once dense jungle had been leveled, leaving only the bare earth.

“It seems to be at the peak of Absolute Fourth Rank, yet there is something distinct about it,” Zhou Heng mused as he gauged the might of the long spear, then said aloud with a laugh, “Why doesn’t Your Excellency show yourself? I come here with no ill intentions.”@@novelbin@@

“Quite a claim of no ill intentions!” came a cold snort from the sky above, and immediately afterward, a man about three meters tall with pale blue skin, dressed in scale armor and holding a long spear, descended from the heavens.

Behind him followed over a hundred armored warriors, all looking at Zhou Heng with hostility in their eyes, tightly gripping their weapons, clearly ready to take action at any moment.

“You say you bear no ill will after forcefully breaking through our clan’s formation?” The man looked at Zhou Heng with a wary expression, speaking in a deep voice, “If you are here for the treasure, you might as well drop the pretense and just attack.”

“It was indeed a last resort to break through your noble clan’s formation. I am willing to apologize for this and make compensation,” Zhou Heng began with an apology, saying, “But truly, I am not here for any treasure.”

“Compensation?” The man did not believe him at all, scoffing coldly and saying, “What can you compensate? Our clan’s formation is created by combining Heaven-Born Prohibitions. Unless you have the ability to emulate the creation of nature, otherwise…”

Hum!

At that moment, the void suddenly trembled, and a five-colored radiance rose from behind Zhou Heng, containing the virtues and fortunes of the Five Elements, evolving the power of creation.

“Would this suffice?” Zhou Heng asked with a smile.

“…” The man was immediately silent, at a loss for words.

With his cultivation realm, he could naturally see that what Zhou Heng displayed was the way of the virtues and fortunes, and it was incredibly perfect, nearing perfection. If it was possible to use this power to repair the formation, it might even fully enhance the formation’s capabilities.

“What exactly are you, and what is your purpose here?” The man’s demeanor softened slightly but was still extremely cold, “I hope you can clarify. Otherwise, even if you possess defensive secret techniques, you will never leave our Mermaid Kingdom alive.”

“I am Zhou Heng, a True Disciple of the Pure Yang Palace from the Central Plains of Qi Country, here in the Eastern Sea to investigate some ancient secrets,” Zhou Heng spoke truthfully, “Hearing that your noble tribe has a long heritage, surviving from ancient times to the present, I wanted to inquire.

“Unfortunately, your noble tribe is hidden within the formations, and outsiders with no knowledge of the ways to enter cannot do so. Hence, I had no choice but to take this last resort to break through the formation, for which I hope you can forgive me.”

“You are a True Disciple of the Pure Yang Palace?” The man’s attitude warmed up a bit more upon hearing this, inquiring further, “The formation outside our clan is guarded by Loose Immortals. Did they not stop you?”

“I killed one of the Loose Immortals, and naturally, the others fled,” Zhou Heng said with a smile.

Upon these words, a sudden silence fell over the surroundings.

All the armored Mermaid people exchanged glances, their faces showing surprise.

They all knew very well how powerful a Loose Immortal could be; previously, the formation had been guarded by a Loose Immortal, causing great pressure for their entire tribe.

Such a powerful being was killed by this Human Race person before them?

That was perhaps a bit too strong.

The leading Mermaid man showed a surprised look, saying, “Your strength is indeed beyond my expectations. If you say you are a disciple of the Pure Yang Palace, do you have proof?”

“What difficulty is there in that?” Zhou Heng raised a finger, manifesting a strand of Pure Yang mana, forming it into a small sun that radiated a warm light, smiling as he said, “This is the mana cultivated from the Pure Yang scripture.”

“Indeed, you are a True Disciple of the Pure Yang Palace.” This Mermaid man evidently had some knowledge of the Pure Yang Palace, nodding lightly and continuing to ask, “Which peak’s disciple are you, the seventh or the eighth generation?”

“Neither,” Zhou Heng shook his head and smiled, “I am a sixth-generation True Disciple. My senior brother Yan Shouyi took me as a disciple on behalf of our master, and I cultivate at the Jade Void Peak.”

“You are the junior brother of Jade Void Peak’s Yan Shouyi?!” The Mermaid man’s face instantly became extremely expressive, showing anger, unwillingness, and a bit of relief. He said, “Please follow me, Daoist. My sister may have some questions for you.

“The ancient secrets you seek, only my sister can answer them.”