Shocking the Nine Heavens With My Sword

When Zhou Heng left, Pang Shaolong was already just a heap of rotten flesh!

If it weren't for the fact that he was at the Bright Immortal level, he would have long perished from such severe injuries. At this point, his powerful physique had instead become a burden, allowing him to endure countless pains that ordinary people simply couldn't bear.

Zhou Heng had no sympathy; this guy actually dared to threaten his family and friends, he was truly asking for death!

If it weren't for the constant surveillance preventing any killing, he would have slaughtered this bastard long ago.

Compared to the Pang Family, Zhou Heng was indeed unqualified; they could be called "upstarts", although the title is derogatory, it also demonstrates the Pang Family's strong power.

This is the Bright Realm, where Bright Immortals are just middle-to-lower level in the pyramid. Even if Zhou Heng could sweep through all undefeated Bright Immortals, he would surely not be a match for a Star King — this was already proven when he first entered the Bright Realm, with that Demon Tiger testifying.

However, precisely because the Pang Family were upstarts, it also indicated that their influence could not yet extend into Dayuan Academy!

The Academy is not merely a place that teaches martial arts like in the Mortal Realm. In the Bright Realm, at least on Duyang Star, it is a power center, even a tier below the Great River Academy's power center equivalent to a royal mansion of local governors!

Is it a place where a little money can get a share?

The power circle is highly exclusive, and those in power fiercely resent others trying to encroach. If the Pang Family rashly extended their influence, they would only face collective resistance from existing power holders within Dayuan Academy!

What if they have the backing of the vice president of Great River Academy? They're out of reach!

So, as long as Zhou Heng stays within Dayuan Academy, he is absolutely safe. What he needs to do is to quickly advance to become a Star King, thus gaining some confidence!

Zhou Heng walked back towards Qi Yuan, the little girl immediately jumped over, threw herself into his arms, clinging to his neck and giggling.

Qi Yuan, however, was looking at him with a suspicious gaze.

Zhou Heng spread his hands and said, "Relax, I didn't kill him! Otherwise, do you think I could still stand here, with you staring at me with such a peculiar look?"

"Brother Zhou, sometimes honesty is quite heartbreaking!"

"So, do you want me to lie to you?"

"…Forget it, honesty is better. I think my endurance is quite good!"

Zhou Heng threw the recruitment token he snatched from Pang Shaolong to Qi Yuan. If he used the score on it, he would definitely exceed Qi Yuan. Without hesitation and without a word of thanks, Qi Yuan took it.

Over the next day or so, they could completely rest, unless someone else could find another Imperial Ant Nest and clear it out completely, otherwise no one could surpass Zhou Heng and Qi Yuan in score.

Zhou Heng no longer lacked trials of bloodshed and killing, but Qi Yuan was excited and he requested Zhou Heng to support him, beginning the next journey of cultivation.

Qi Yuan slaughtered with great enthusiasm, while Zhou Heng inquired him about many matters regarding Dayuan Academy.

— Jiang Zishuang, after all, was just a little girl of seven or eight, unable to remember many things, and even if she did, Zhou Heng had to doubt whether the little girl remembered correctly or not.

Therefore, it was more reliable to hear it from Qi Yuan.

Jiang Zishuang was very displeased with this; she sulked and said she wouldn't talk to Zhou Heng, but soon she forgot about it and grabbed Zhou Heng's hand, chatting away once more.

Qi Yuan didn't grow suspicious, being the grandson of the academy's vice president, he naturally knew the academy well, but it wasn't necessarily the case for others. It was quite reasonable for Zhou Heng to ask him about these things.

Only then did Zhou Heng learn that although the academy had three subsidiaries, the Heavenly Martial Institute, Heavenly Array Institute, and Heavenly Medicine Institute, in reality, the last two institutes almost had no presence, because there were too few students!

Both alchemy and array engraving require extremely high talent, distinct in this aspect as opposed to cultivation aptitude! This is not as easy as finding Martial Kings, hence the number of students in these two subsidiary institutes combined is only around fifty.

With so few people, and with each pharmacist or array pattern master being especially reclusive, always holed up in their rooms delving into Alchemy Dao and array pattern carving, the presence of these two institutes is even less.

However, because of the rarity, pharmacists and array pattern masters, although few in number, are indispensable, hence they are very much valued by the academy and each one is given focused training.

Of course, this has nothing to do with Zhou Heng unless he wished to enter the Heavenly Medicine Institute.

What he cared about was cultivation resources.

At Dayuan Academy, to obtain cultivation resources, besides needing money, there's another more important thing, Contribution Value.

Contribution Value is easy to understand; it's your contribution to the academy quantified into a numerical value.

In the academy, almost everything requires Contribution Value for purchase, for instance, a "Cold Bone Pill" costs ten Contribution Values and twenty thousand Great River Coins.

Just having money... won't do!

Being wealthy is ineffective at the academy, Contribution Value is king!

So, how to earn Contribution Value?

The most common means is to complete tasks issued by the academy, which vary greatly in number and are of various sorts, determining the amount of Contribution Value awarded based on difficulty.

Additionally, significant contributions to the academy can also result in Contribution Value rewards, such as achieving high rankings in academy competitions. Of course, like Zhou Heng's achievement of placing top three in assessments this time, could also earn Contribution Value rewards.

There are also some other methods, but undoubtedly none are as common as the above two.

Zhou Heng estimated that if he sold all the remaining Gang Spirit Pills, he would have 210,000 Great River Coins in hand. It seemed like a lot, enough to allow an ordinary family to live a good life for a lifetime.

But cultivating martial arts is expensive. This amount might not even be enough to refine a batch of pills suitable for him!

There's also the need for Contribution Value, which is the biggest hassle!

Upon entering the academy, the first thing is to earn Contribution Value, without delay!

Zhou Heng thought about it, and he hadn't even entered the academy yet, but he seemed to have already provoked quite a few people, like that mayor's son, the Tauren Tribe, and the Pang Family!

He needed strength!

Time passed quickly. After the ninth day ended, Zhou Heng and Qi Yuan's scores and locations were announced once again, which led to the final frenzy of the exam-takers, as they searched for the two all over the mountains and plains on the tenth day.

After all, no one would die; what was there to fear?

Moreover, ants can kill an elephant. What if someone managed to snatch their Recruitment Tokens and became first or second?

Great rewards give rise to brave warriors, plus there's an assurance one wouldn't lose their life?

People were crazy, the attacks constant!

Zhou Heng was initially very restrained, hitting lightly. But seeing these people were relentless, he couldn't help but get angry. Did they think that having immunity was a license for recklessness?

It's a pity Pang Shaolong wasn't here; otherwise, he would vividly demonstrate to everyone what it meant to wish for death over life, what it meant to be in utter agony!

When Zhou Heng's true anger was unleashed, the consequences were dire!

He was merciless. Though he didn't take lives, every punch left the intruders with shattered bones!

This is not the Mortal Realm or the Immortal Realm, where a martial artist can heal injuries with a mere thought. In the Bright Realm, the recovery speed of martial artists is absurdly slow. Such comminuted fractures can heal, but without two to three months of rest, recovery is impossible.

—Of course, high-quality healing pills or healing runes can accelerate this process, and the time depends on the effectiveness of the pills or runes.

When thousands lay on the ground, the people finally awoke.

That man is a devil!

Isn't he?

Other than a devil, who can fight against a thousand?

Here are all Bright Immortals, yet he swept through with just his fists. Such overwhelming power is unimaginable!

This academy seems to have recruited an extraordinary monster!

Zhou Heng's gaze swept through, and the crowd across the mountains and fields fell silent, even those severely injured swallowed their groans, not wanting to catch his eye, as it would make them shiver in fear!

Martial King!

Qi Yuan was stirred in his heart; he was a strategist, not weak in martial strength, but definitely not strong either. This is a Martial King, conquering armies without a fight!

That explains why those Elephant Emperor Ants could only await death in the Imperial Ant Nest!

Because the Bright Realm is so vast, with a dispersed population, the number of Martial Kings in this world must be several thousand or even tens of thousands more than in the Immortal Realm. But averaged out to a small place like Dayuan Academy, it might take tens of thousands or hundreds of thousands of years to appear one!

Qi Yuan had never seen a Martial King before, which is why he didn't realize his assumption was actually wrong; Zhou Heng's defiance had already exceeded the realm of a Martial King!

If it weren't for this, he would be even more inexplicably excited right now!

Under everyone's reverent gaze, the ten days finally came to an end. Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, everyone was transported out of there, back to the square where they had entered before.

In those ten days, a large number of exam-takers had already been eliminated early. Although about 100,000 were still standing on the square, compared to the previous million level, it seemed "empty" by much.

"Currently making the final tallying and verification, it will take about ten minutes, please be patient and wait!" From the academy, a person whose appearance couldn't be clearly seen yet soared into the air. Under the powerful pressure of their presence, everyone was awe-struck, not even daring to breathe deeply.

He waved his hand again and said, "First, take the wounded away for treatment!"

Those who were struck down by Zhou Heng on the last day couldn't even stand, and without treatment, they wouldn't be able to leave on their own strength for two or three months.

After he said this, he didn't speak anymore, the atmosphere became somewhat tense, and many people involuntarily broke into a cold sweat.

Finally, ten minutes passed.

"The scores are out, you all go over there to swipe your Recruitment Token, those over there will tell you if you've passed the assessment! Those who haven't passed, leave the academy immediately. Those who have passed, after completing the identity registration, someone will arrange your accommodation. At noon tomorrow, come back here for the academy's rules and to receive the rewards for the top three!" (To be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome to vote for recommendations and monthly tickets on Qidian (qidian.com), your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users please visit m.qidian.com to read.)